Federal court finds Pryor man guilty of sexual abuse of child under 12 | News

TULSA, Oklahoma – A federal jury on Friday found a Pryor man guilty of sexually abusing a child under the age of 12.

Adam Joseph King, 35, of Pryor, was convicted of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor under the age of 12 in Indian Country and abusive sexual contact with a minor under the age of 12 in Indian Country.

The jury deliberated for less than two hours on Friday before finding King guilty of the crimes, the office of U.S. Attorney Clinton J. Johnson said.

The child victim is a member of the Cherokee tribe.

Evidence presented during the trial showed that King knowingly engaged in sexual conduct with a child under the age of 12 from November 2017 to August 2021.

In 2017, King resumed a relationship with an ex-girlfriend who had an 8-year-old daughter, the statement said. Shortly after the girlfriend moved in with him, King began sexually abusing the child while the mother was at work.

The victim described the sexual abuse during the trial and reported it to a school counselor. Experts testified that evidence collected in King’s bedroom matched the victim’s DNA.

Catoosa Police Chief Ronnie Benight said the victim reported the abuse to a Catoosa school counselor and Catoosa police were immediately contacted. He said the crimes occurred in Catoosa and King was initially incarcerated in the Rogers County Jail.

The investigation revealed that King and his girlfriend, the victim’s mother, denied any wrongdoing on King’s part. This was stated by the office of US Attorney Clinton J. Johnson.

When the investigation began, the minor victim was taken from his mother’s house and placed in the care of his grandparents.

King will remain in the custody of the US Marshal Service, the statement said. His sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.

“Today, a jury found Adam King accountable for his abuse of an innocent child,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This guilty verdict is a result of the courage of the child victim and the cooperation of local, state, and federal law enforcement partners who demonstrate a commitment to the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative.”

“A defenseless child suffered at the hands of Adam King,” said Assistant Special Agent Jason Kaplan of the FBI’s Oklahoma City Field Office. “These cases are some of the most difficult for the FBI, but they also have the greatest impact. Thanks to our partnership with the Catoosa Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, this depraved individual will now face justice for his horrific crimes.”