OSBI arrests Stephens County man for child sexual abuse

Jun. 25--A Stephens County man resides in jail after Stephens County Sheriff's Office requested the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation's help with a child sexual abuse case.

Stephen Robert Fortney, 26 years old with a address listed in Comanche, faces charges of child sexual abuse and lewd or indecent proposals or acts to a child under 16.

Reports indicate allegations of the child sexual abuse made their way to Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) on June 15 after the Stephens County Sheriff's Office learned of the sexual abuse of two juveniles.

According to OSBI, the sexual abuse of one juvenile allegedly occurred between March 2011 and March 2013 while the child was between the ages of 11 and 12. The other incident reported, according to OSBI, dates back to fall 2019, at which time the victim was 15 and Fortney, according to documentation, requested to take inappropriate photos.

An affidavit from the Stephens County Courthouse, however, shows the abuse of the first child happened numerous times between 2007-2008 and 2013-2014 while the child was between ages seven and 13.

In an interview with OSBI, Fortney "claimed to not remember the incidents" with the first child though he later denied penetration. He also told the OSBI agent, according to records, that he offered to take the photos of the second juvenile but said he was going to send it to someone else and it was not "for his personal use."

A judge set Fortney's bond for $500,000 and he will return to court for a preliminary hearing conference at 9 a.m.Aug. 26, 2020.

Child sexual abuse is "punishable by imprisonment with Oklahoma Department of Corrections not exceeding life imprisonment, or by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $5,000 or both such fine and imprisonment."

Lewd or indecent proposals to a child under 16 is punishable by "imprisonment in the state penitentiary for not less than three years nor more than 20 years."

If found guilty, Fortney would have to serve 85% of the sentence handed down by a judge to become eligible for earned credits toward the completion of the sentence, parole and probation.

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