OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Ross Ford, R-Broken Arrow, today issued the following statement about the sentencing of former Stillwater Junior High School teacher Alberto Morejon for engaging in sexual communication with a minor.

Morejon was sentenced to 10 years, with the first five years served in prison and the last five years served on probation. He will be required to register as a sex offender for 25 years. The sentence was the result of a plea deal.

“Mr. Morejon violated the trust of all Oklahomans by preying on innocent students entrusted to his care,” Ford said. “He doesn’t deserve to be able to cut a deal that could result in him serving less than two years in prison and not having to register as a sex offender for life. He should never again be in a position to victimize anyone else. This ruling does not protect children or the public.”

Ford is the chair of the House Appropriations & Budget Subcommittee for Public Safety and also a member of the House Criminal Justice & Corrections and the Judiciary – Criminal committees. He also is a member of the Criminal Justice Reclassification Coordination Council, which reviews the reclassification of felonies and sentence lengths and makes recommendations to the governor and House and Senate leaders to ensure the safety of the public.

Ford is a 25-year veteran of the Tulsa Police Department where he worked as a patrol officer and as a DARE and community relations officer.