Arrest Made by OSBI ‘Internet Crimes Against Children’ unit

McALESTER, Okla. – After receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMECC), agents from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit secured an arrest warrant for 33-year-old Stephen Newman. Newman was arrested by the McAlester Police Department on November 20, 2020 on one charge of Procuring Obscene Material, which is a felony.

The case originated when the OSBI received a cyber tip from NCMEC that originated with the Idaho ICAC Task Force and involved online chats between Newman and an underage female in Idaho. Law enforcement in Idaho secured a search warrant for the email account associated with the cybertip. The IP address checked back to a residence in the 700 block of S. Saddler in Poteau, Okla. Newman was a listed as a resident of that address.

During the course of the OSBI investigation, a search warrant was secured for all electronic devices in the home. Based on the evidence obtained and analyzed by agents, an arrest warrant was issued for Newman on November 10, 2020, who was believed to be in the McAlester area. Officers with the McAlester Police Department arrested Newman at a residence in the 500 block of E. Polk in McAlester. He was taken to the Pittsburg County Jail on a $100,000 bond.

The OSBI investigation is ongoing. If you have a child that you believe had an inappropriate experience with Newman, contact the OSBI at (800) 522-8017 or [email protected].

If you suspect a child is being sexually exploited, contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children immediately at 1-800-THE-LOST or www.cybertipline.com.