By Conrad Dudderar
Senior Staff Writer
A convicted felon faces a long prison sentence for allegedly making lewd proposals to a 14-year-old girl and offering her drugs in a Canadian County Sheriff’s Office undercover investigation.
McLoud’s Brian Keith Freeman, 49, was charged March 24 in Canadian County District Court with lewd or indecent proposals to child under 16 and attempting to encourage a minor to commit a drug crime.
The first count is punishable by three to 20 years in prison and the second count is punishable by more than 10 years in prison and/or a maximum $100,000 fine.
The defendant was charged with the felony crimes after communicating through Facebook and text message with someone he believed to be a 14-year-old girl from the Oklahoma City area of Canadian County, according to a probable cause affidavit.
In fact, he was chatting with Canadian County sheriff’s investigator Chelsea Adkins.
Adkins, a computer forensics examiner who works child exploitation cases, was contacted by Freeman in July 2019 through Facebook Messenger.
Five days later, the undercover investigator reportedly told Freeman she was 14 years-old. The defendant (age 48 at the time) allegedly advised the deputy, posing as the underage girl, to say she was 19 if anyone asked.
Freeman provided his mobile phone number and the conversation moved from Facebook to texting.
“(T)he facts are you are younger than I am … that’s why I’m not allowed to engage first because I would go to jail for 30 years plus … that’s why I don’t want to talk on Facebook Messenger … I would rather talk to you on the phone and in person,” the defendant wrote in one text message included in the investigator’s affidavit.
In a Facebook message sent in December 2019, Freeman allegedly asked the deputy (who he thought was the 14-year-old girl) for her address so he could “come over to smoke” clear. Clear is a street name for methamphetamine.
CONVERSATION, CHAT RECORDED
The undercover investigator kept the conversation going, advising she had never tried meth before. Freeman messaged that he wanted to see the girl naked, according to the affidavit.
Deputy Adkins had a recorded phone conversation with Freeman on her undercover cellular device and a recorded video chat with him through Facebook Messenger.
The conversation became more sexual several days later when Freeman texted “When can I see you without clothes” and asked her to come sit on his lap and wrap her legs around him, the investigator’s affidavit shows.
District Judge Jack McCurdy on March 24 issued a warrant for Freeman’s arrest. Bond was set at $30,000 on the two felony counts.
Oklahoma Department of Corrections records show Freeman has previous felony convictions between 1991 and 2010 in Oklahoma and Cleveland counties for: Stealing oilfield equipment, entering with intent to steal copper, distribution of controlled dangerous substance, possession of methamphetamine, second-degree burglary, and conspiracy.
