KRMG
October 9, 2011
http://www.krmg.com/news/news/local/catoosa-area-youth-pastor-charged-sex-crimes/nD8Z4/
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TULSA, Okla. —
A man who works with Catoosa-area churches as a youth pastor faces several sex-related felony charges, Rogers County Sheriff Scott Walton said Saturday.
Online records show that Joe Cheater, Jr., 39, was arrested Friday. Sheriff Walton tells KRMG that the arrest occurred at a business in east Tulsa where Cheater was employed.
The Rogers County D.A. has charged him with two counts of rape and three counts of lewd or indecent acts or proposals to children.
Walton said the case involves at least three victims so far, with the possibility of additional victims and charges in the future. "The investigation is still in its early stages," he said.
He described the victims as females, between the ages of nine and fourteen years old.
When asked how long ago the investigation began, Walton said Cheater first "came up on the radar screen" several months ago, but investigators didn't feel at the time they had enough evidence to file charges.
At least one victim apparently stepped forward more recently with another complaint, and that led to Friday's arrest.
"We don't catch'em the first time," Walton said, talking about sex offenders. "How many times did they get by with it? That's the scary part.
"When we don't discover all the victims, that's a huge deal."
It remains to be seen if the investigation will uncover more possible victims in this particular case.
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