(Update: On Dec. 29, 2023, Oklahoma County District Judge Kevin McCray dismissed the sole criminal charge against Timothy Owen at the request of District Attorney Vicki Behenna’s office. The article below remains in its original form.)
Timothy Owen, a former Edmond Police Department officer and current EPD civilian employee, was arrested Monday at the Edmond Public Safety Center after the department completed an investigation into alleged inappropriate conduct with a 14-year-old girl.
Owen, 68, served as an EPD officer from 1986 to 2015. Upon retirement in 2015, Owen transitioned into an administrative role with the department as a civilian employee, according to Emily Ward, EPD public information officer.
After his arrest Monday, Owen was first booked into the Edmond Municipal Jail before being transported to the Oklahoma County Detention Center.
Ward said the police department received a letter a few weeks ago that included allegations about Owen’s conduct with a teenager in the summer of 2022. The letter was forwarded to detectives for review on March 29, Ward said.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed in Oklahoma County District Court, the letter stated that Owen “was texting her at school, during night, sometimes 60 or 70 texts a day.” Texts from Owen included, “are you a virgin?” and “I want to be your first,” according to the probable cause affidavit.
After receiving the letter, the Edmond Police Department identified the minor child and interviewed her on April 7. During the interview, she confirmed that Owen is part of her extended family, although it is not clear whether the relation is by marriage or by blood. She said she would spend time with Owen at his work and around other family members.
The child also told officers that Owen would video chat her using Google Duo. She said Owen would tell her how “hot” and “sexy” she looked. After Owen made these comments, the girl told Owen that she would tell his wife, which he discouraged.
According to the probable cause affidavit, the child also spoke about a time Owen wanted her to sneak out of the house so he could pick her up. She told detectives that during their relationship, Owen told her to delete the text messages between them.
Owen is facing one count of facilitating, encouraging, offering or soliciting sexual conduct or engaging in sexual communication with a minor or person believed to be a minor. The crime is punishable by up to 10 years of jail time, a $10,000 fine, or both.
Friday morning, an Oklahoma County Detention Center receptionist said Owen was released Tuesday after posting a $50,000 bond.
Read the probable cause affidavit against Timothy Owen
https://nondoc.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Timothy-Owen-probable-cause-affidavit-2023_Redacted.pdf” viewer=”google”]Findings of separate EPD internal investigation still unreleased
In January, an attorney with the Phillips Murrah law firm provided EPD with a report related to a year-long investigation into allegations of racism, sexism and workplace bullying by EPD Deputy Chief Tim Dorsey. The allegations were made against Dorsey by a fellow officer who has since left the department for a police chief position in Salina, Kansas.
Edmond City Attorney Stephen Murdock said the law firm’s findings would be reviewed by EPD Chief J.D. Younger and Edmond City Manager Scot Rigby to determine any final action affecting Dorsey’s employment. But more than two months later, city officials have not revealed the findings of the investigation. The City of Edmond denied NonDoc’s Open Records Act request for the investigative report in early February.
The City of Edmond hired Phillips Murrah attorney Candace Lisle on Jan. 19, 2022, to conduct an investigation into the allegations against Dorsey. However, the city has no formal contract with her or the law firm, Murdock said in November 2022. Dorsey has attended public meetings since the report was completed in January.
During a Ward 1 Edmond City Council debate at the University of Central Oklahoma last month, eventual Ward 1 councilman-elect Tom Robins said, at minimum, a summary of the investigative findings should be released to the public.
“A summary report would be helpful,” he said. “I want to have a city that has confidence always. We do that by not acting out of fear, but just working on facts, and so we want to bring facts to light. That, you know, that comes with all of city government.”
Robins’ opponent, Ashley Bradley, agreed.
“I think that we all deserve to know what’s going on with our first responders, with our police, with our leadership in this town,” Bradley said. “I think that’s important, and I think that transparency is something that currently kind of lacks in multiple departments. So yes, I do believe that it needs to be at bare minimum a summary of what has gone on, what has happened.”
