Man Facing Child Sex Complaint For Incident At SW OKC Church

An Oklahoma City man is facing a child sex complaint after allegedly making advances toward a 10-year-old girl at a church on the southwest side of the metro.

Police were called out to the church, located near SW 59th St. and S. May Ave., early Sunday morning to a report of a man exposing himself to a child. When police arrived the met with the caller and the suspect, 32-year-old Joel Cox. Officers detained Cox and then spoke to the victim’s mother.

The mother told police that the alleged assault happened in the children’s room at the church, which is separate from the sanctuary where services were taking place. The mother said her daughter came to her and told her Cox approached her in the children’s room, grabbed her by the head and “showed his privates” all the while repeating the phrase “why not?”

According to police, the mother immediately told the pastor what her daughter said and police were called.

The pastor showed the responding officers surveillance video from the children’s room via an app on his phone. Police say the video showed Cox approach the child, but the angle did not show him expose himself. The video did show Cox grab the victim’s head, the police report states. It also showed Cox pulling up his pants as he left the room.

The pastor told police that when he confronted Cox about the incident, Cox admitted to the crime. However, police say, when they arrived Cox did not want to talk. Officers also noted that Cox “did not seem normal” and had slurred speech.

Cox was placed under arrest and booked into the Oklahoma County Jail on one count of Lewd Acts to a Child. His bond was set at $15,000.