TULSA (OK)
KOKI-TV, Fox-23 [Tulsa OK]
April 7, 2022
- John Bucklin’s jury trial begins for the sexual abuse of three young boys.
- Documents show he met the boys through his Claremore church.
- Claremore police arrested Bucklin in 2018.
A jury trial started this week for a Collinsville man arrested in 2018 for the sexual abuse of three children he was mentoring through his Claremore church.
The Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) says they began investigating John Bucklin only to learn of similar crimes in Rogers County as well. Claremore police arrested Bucklin in 2018.
Court documents detail how Bucklin met a 12, 10 and 8-year-old boy through Cedar Point Church in Claremore in 2016. They say how he would take them hiking, to the mall and museums and swimming at the Claremore Rec Center. He would also have the boys spend the night at his home the night before church breakfasts.
The victims told investigators John said things like “this is our secret and you shouldn’t tell your mother” and “if you tell anyone about what happened last night your mom might get hurt”.
The children separately reported that Bucklin took them swimming at the Claremore Rec Center and touched them repeatedly on their private parts while in the pool. The 12-year-old reported these assaults happened in the pool, at Bucklin’s house and in Bucklin’s car. The 8-year-old reported it happened in the pool and at Bucklin’s house.
Documents show one of the boy’s mothers learned about the incidents after her son made suicidal threats and explained he could no longer wear his “favorite underwear”. The second boy’s mother said Bucklin would repeatedly text the letters “SM”. She says her son would always make up words that started with the letters until she convinced him to tell her the meaning was “sex machine” with a game of Hangman.
Bucklin faces three charges of sexual abuse, two of those for a child under 12.
The boys testified against Bucklin Tuesday.
We will continue to update this story as the trial continues.