TULSA, Okla. — A petition calling for the resignation of a longtime Tulsa district judge is starting to gain momentum.
Judge Sharon Holmes sentenced Shawn Canady to probation despite a jury recommending 40 years in prison for child sexual abuse.
Canady was found guilty in September of sexually abusing two children.
The jury in the case recommended a sentence of 20 years for each count.
Instead, Judge Holmes sentenced Canady to 40 years of probation.
We contacted her office and requested an interview, but a staff member told us that she does not comment on her cases or her decisions.
This case particularly hits close to home for Jon Scoggins and his family.
“We’ve actually been through something like this with our own family. We had an adult child in our family come forward in their early 20’s to communicate 'Hey, when I was 12 here’s something that happened to me',” said Scoggins.
Because the judicial complaint process is lengthy, Scoggins started a petition calling for Holmes' resignation.
“I hope enough Tulsans get mad enough about Judge Holmes not protecting our community and protecting our children and sign this petition,” said Scoggins.
Holmes's decision not to sentence Canady to prison time also prompted this response from Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler.
"A Tulsa County judge sentenced a Broken Arrow man to 40 years of probation after a jury found him guilty on two counts of child sexual abuse. Shawn Canady, 40, was found guilty in September of sexually abusing two children. The jury recommended a sentence of 20 years in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections for each count. At his sentencing Monday, the judge sentenced him to probation instead of prison time. These are the types of cases where my heart literally aches,” said Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler. "Law enforcement spends countless hours encouraging young victims to believe in the system - that their courage will be rewarded by a just disposition. DHS caseworkers, forensic interviewers, prosecutors, victim advocates - all of us stand with these victims because we understand the hurt they experienced, and the courage it takes to testify in front of complete strangers. Even more so, friends and family members also stand with these victims. They are closer than any of us to the trauma experienced by these victims.
It would be easy to recommend probation for child sexual offenders because they would always take it - and that is why we don’t. Of all the criminal perpetrators I have ever dealt with in my 35-year career, the rapists and molesters of children are the most dangerous for our community.
When this jury recommended a sentence of 40 years in prison, no one envisioned that this defendant would be walking our streets as a free man. 12 people found him guilty and he never took accountability for his repulsive conduct. I simply have no words to describe my level of frustration. We send people to prison for stealing merchandise. He should have gone to prison for stealing innocence.”
For Scoggins, it’s simple.
“Everyone should be concerned about keeping our community safe and keeping our kids safe,” he said.
Sharon Holmes' current term is set to end in 2026.
If you would like to sign the petition, click here.
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