US: Oklahoma State Senator Arrested for Prostitution with a Minor

On March 16, Oklahoma Republican Senator Ralph Shortey was arrested on charges of purchasing sex from a 17-year-old male teenager.

Senator Ralph Shortey, 35, is married with three daughters and a conservative Republican who was an early supporter of President Donald Trump. He is under pressure to resign over charges of paying for sex with a minor and is facing another internal investigation into his years of youth program activities.

Senator Ralph Shortey. Photo: Tulsa World.

Ralph Shortey voluntarily surrendered to authorities after being accused of child prostitution, transporting minors for prostitution and engaging in prostitution within 300 meters of a church. He was released 2 hours after his arrest on a $100,000 bail.

“I don't have any comment at this time, but I will soon,” Senator Shortey told reporters after being released on parole.

The allegations led to his immediate removal from his position as a volunteer at the Oklahoma City Youth Alliance (YMCA), a program that Mr. Shortey had been a part of for 17 years and had been a planner of out-of-state trips.

YMCA spokeswoman Brenda Bennett said she had not received any complaints of misconduct by Mr. Shortey during his time with the program. However, the agency is conducting internal investigations due to the criminal nature of Mr. Shortey’s case.

Last week, with the father’s permission, police went to the Super 8 hotel in Moore, a suburb of Oklahoma City, to check on reports that his son had been caught in a room with a man. Police records show that the boy had solicited sex on Craigslist other times and had a history of drug abuse.

Police said they smelled marijuana smoke coming from the room and found Shortey alone with the teen. Police also found lotion and an open condom in a backpack found in the restroom.

A search of the teen’s tablet revealed a series of sexually explicit exchanges in which Mr. Shortey called him “baby boy” and offered him money in exchange for “sexual things.” The exchanges began with the teen texting Mr. Shortey that he “needed money for spring break.”

Shortey and the teen both told police they had known each other for about a year, first through Craigslist and later communicating through the messaging app Kik, which is considered unsafe for teenagers.

Under Oklahoma law, the age of consent is 16, but child prostitution applies to anyone under 18.

The police report and indictment do not make clear whether Mr. Shortey and the teen actually had sex. However, prosecutor Susan Caswell said her office does not have to prove that they did.

“Pleasing is offering money in exchange for sex,” Ms. Caswell said. That means Mr. Shortey did not have to actually have sex with the teenager to be charged.

On March 15, the Senate suspended Mr. Shortey from office and unanimously passed a resolution accusing him of “disciplinary misconduct,” thereby stripping him of all his privileges.

After Mr. Shortey was arrested on March 16, the leaders of the Democratic and Republican parties in the Senate called for Mr. Shortey to immediately resign, saying that he could no longer serve the government under this situation. If he does not resign, Mr. Shortey can still be expelled from the Senate if 2/3 (ie 32 members) vote in favor of this measure.

During his seven years in the Senate, Mr. Shortey made a name for himself by pushing legislation targeting illegal immigrants and expanding gun rights. He also voted for legislation targeting the LGBT community, including a measure passed earlier this year that allows business owners to discriminate against gay people./.

According to VOV