Oklahoma Sheriff’s Office deputy charged with domestic violence and suspended from duty

A deputy with the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office has been charged with domestic violence.

The police officer was accused of hitting the mother of his one-month-old baby last month while she was holding the baby.

Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Deputy Antonio Simpson Jr. has been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation. Prosecutors charged Simpson this week with domestic violence in the presence of a minor child.

Police arrested the 32-year-old man in May at his home in northwest Oklahoma City. The affidavit states Simpson and his girlfriend were drinking when an argument broke out.

The woman told officers she was watching television in the living room and carrying her one-month-old baby in a carrier when Simpson confronted her.

According to court documents, Simpson was upset because his girlfriend did not want intimacy that evening. The victim said Simpson threw down her drink and then punched her in the face. Police noted that the victim had a visible bump on her forehead. The woman left the room with the baby and went into a bedroom with her five-year-old child. Simpson allegedly forced open the bedroom door by punching a hole in the door.

Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office officials responded quickly to the deputy’s arrest.

“As soon as this agency became aware of this, he was immediately suspended,” said Aaron Brilbeck of the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office.

Brilbeck said Thursday that Simpson was hired as a deputy sheriff in June 2015. His most recent assignment was serving civil warrants. Before that, Simpson was in charge of security at the Oklahoma County Courthouse and worked as a security officer at a middle school in Edmond. Simpson’s assignments are currently on hold.

“It’s always disappointing when a deputy draws so much attention,” Brilbeck said. Simpson also worked as a volunteer officer in his neighborhood. The property management company said it had to fire him after learning of the domestic violence charge.

Simpson is charged with a misdemeanor and has no court date scheduled for him at this time.