Child pornography and sexual abuse cases bound over for trial court arraignment, one dismissed
Dec. 1—A child sexual abuse case scheduled for a preliminary hearing took a different turn Monday morning.
Dustin Leroy Drake of Tulsa had the single charge of child sexual abuse dismissed at the request of Payne County Assistant District Attorney Erica Garuccio.
Drake was charged with the crime last December. The child, in this case, alleged Drake assaulted them in Stillwater and Tulsa. To this date, charges in Tulsa against Drake weren't filed.
Payne County District Attorney Laura Austin Thomas said the charges were dropped because the child's family didn't cooperate with them.
"It was dismissed because the family has refused to cooperate and has been non-responsive to our office," she said. "In addition, it is believed they have left our jurisdiction and (have) not advised us where they went."
Since the case was dismissed without prejudice, it can be refiled later if the victim decides to pursue charges and is still within the statute of limitations.
Stillwater man charged with child sexual abuse headed to trial court arraignment
Hector Escobedo Vazquez was charged with child sexual abuse in 2020. He was scheduled before Judge Michael Kulling on Monday to have a preliminary hearing.
The state is represented by Assistant District Attorney Debra Vincent and Vazquez is represented by Stillwater attorney Thomas Swafford.
Payne County Investigator Rockford Brown, Saville Center Nurse Practitioner Brandi Watts, and Jane Doe were subpoenaed to testify at the hearing.
Vincent delivered the state's closing argument after they rested and Swafford objected to the evidence.
An additional charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor was filed against him on Monday.
Kulling ultimately found enough probable cause that the crime of child sexual abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a minor were committed by Vazquez. He was bound over for trial court arraignment and is scheduled to return to court Jan. 14.
Cushing man charged with possession of child pornography waived preliminary hearing
Matthew James Albright, was charged earlier this year and has been accused of having numerous pornographic materials depicting children on his phone.
Stillwater attorney Royce Hobbs is representing him. Bond was set at $50,000 and he is currently in the Payne County Jail.
Earlier reporting by the News Press said over 100 images of children engaging in sexual acts were found on Albright's old phone. Initially he filed a police report because his roommate found the child porn on his phone.
The police alleged he told them he was downloading the images to show police at a later date.
He appeared before Judge Katherine Thomas on Monday morning for a preliminary hearing, but waived his right to have one. He was bound over for trial court arraignment.
Albright will be back in court Tuesday morning before Judge Stephen R. Kistler.
