By Conrad Dudderar
Staff Writer
A Canadian County judge has found probable cause that an Oklahoma City man sexually assaulted a teen co-worker at a Yukon-area restaurant.
Nhon Kinh Lam, 49, has been bound over for trial on a felony charge of lewd/indecent acts to child under 16 in Canadian County District Court.
The defendant appeared with attorney Derek Chance at a Dec. 14th preliminary hearing before Special Judge Khristan K. Strubhar.
Assistant District Attorney Austin Murrey presented witnesses who testified at the court hearing.
District court arraignment for Lam is set Feb. 21, 2023, before District Judge Paul Hesse.
The crime of lewd/indecent acts to child under 16 is punishable by 3-20 years in state prison.
Lam faces a longer sentence because of a previous felony conviction.
This court case stems from an incident reported Jan. 12 at a Vietnamese restaurant in the 1700 block of S. Morgan Road in eastern Canadian County. Oklahoma City Police investigated the alleged crime.
Lam violated state law “by knowingly and intentionally touching the private parts” of a 15-year-old female “in a lewd and lascivious manner”, according to the charging document signed by Assistant District Attorney Micheal Oglesby.
ASSAULT REPORTED
Oklahoma City police officer Ryan Howard was dispatched at 8:51 p.m. Jan. 12 to a home on S.W. 2nd Terrace in Yukon on the reported sexual assault, according to a probable cause affidavit.
The alleged juvenile victim told the officer she was sexually assaulted by her co-worker at the Morgan Road restaurant.
“(The victim) said she was eating and playing on her phone when (Lam) approached her and began pestering and touching her,” according to the affidavit.
“(The victim) said (Lam) began forcefully pulling at her waistband and intentionally stuck his hand down the front of her pants” before assaulting her “without her consent.”
Police obtained video that allegedly showed Lam touching the victim and hovering over her, making her feel uncomfortable.
This wasn’t the defendant’s first brush with the law.
Lam was charged in September 1999 with sexual battery in Oklahoma County District Court.
In February 2001, he pleaded no contest to an amended felony assault charge and received a two-year deferred sentence.
