Former Oklahoma Probation Officer Pleads Guilty to Sexual Assault

Steven Powers, 35, a former probation and parole officer with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to two counts of violating the civil rights of two female probationers whom he supervised when he subjected them to unwanted sexual contact.

According to court documents, during the course of supervising the victim listed in Count One, from on or about Nov. 3, 2015 through Jan. 19, 2017, Powers engaged in sexually inappropriate behavior, culminating in sexual assault. During the course of supervising the victim listed in Count Two, from on or about Nov. 2, 2015 through April 30, 2017, Powers likewise engaged in sexually inappropriate behavior, culminating in sexual contact against the victim’s will. In each of these instances, the defendant admitted that he knew what he was doing was wrong and against the law, yet he did so anyway.

“The Department of Justice will not tolerate probation officers who exploit their authority by sexually assaulting individuals under their supervision,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division.  “We will continue to vigorously prosecute those who abuse their power in this way.”

“Steven Powers is not above the law. Rather, he took an oath to uphold it. In fact, he betrayed the trust placed in him by the State of Oklahoma to fulfill his duties as a probation and parole officer,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores of the Northern District of Oklahoma. “He egregiously abused his authority by sexually assaulting the victims, violating their civil rights and ultimately damaging the integrity our justice system. For his despicable crimes, we will hold him accountable.”

This case is being investigated by the Oklahoma City Division of the FBI and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation in cooperation with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections and the Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jarrod Leaman of the Northern District of Oklahoma and Special Litigation Counsel Fara Gold of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice