Oklahoma City Police Supervisor Charged, Allegedly Forced Two Children To Live Alone, Pay Rent For Norman Apartment

NORMAN, Oklahoma – News 9

Cleveland County prosecutors charged an Oklahoma City Police Lieutenant with two felony counts of child neglect on Wednesday.

The department placed Lt. Richard Lewis, a patrol supervisor, on paid administrative leave because of the charges. Lewis began working for OCPD in October 2003.

Lewis allegedly forced two children in his care, a teenager and one less than 10-years-old, to live alone in a Norman apartment starting in August 2021. One of the children told police Lewis would stay at the apartment about five to seven times each month, according to the probable cause affidavit.

In addition to school, the older child had to pay for half of the rent and commuted to a job by walking or biking. Lewis admitted to having the child pay for the portion of the rent, according to court documents. The older child also created a grocery list, which Lewis purchased every seven to ten days.

OKC Police Lt, Richard Lewis

The Norman Police Department began its investigation last month after a neighbor overheard one of the children banging on the apartment door to get inside. The other child was sleeping at the time and didn’t hear the knocks, so the neighbor called the police.

In an interview with an NPD detective, Lewis said he had a two-way camera set up in the apartment to communicate with the children. The camera, however, “was unplugged the night (Norman police) officers responded,” according to court documents.

Norman Police Detective Tara Casillas wrote that Lewis said he moved the children into the apartment “because he did not want his wife and her children to be further involved with DHS or welfare checks from the police department.”

A spokesperson for the Oklahoma Department of Human Services said the agency can’t comment on Lewis’ case publicly by law.

Lewis was booked into the Cleveland County Detention Center Wednesday and was later released on a $25,000 bond.

Anyone can report child abuse to the Department of Human Services by calling their hotline: 1-800-522-3511