Kingfisher Sex Offender Arrested, Accused Of Raping 14-Year-Old Girl

A sex offender was arrested in Kingfisher County, accused of raping a 14-year-old girl.  

Kingfisher police said Dakota Welch, 25, ran away with the victim and her cousin on September 30. The victim’s mother called the police.  

“They said that they were unable to make contact with them, but they did believe that they were still in the Kingfisher area,” said Kingfisher Police Chief David Catron. 

Welch has been registered as a sex offender for life since 2017, following a 2015 rape case in Kingfisher County.

Officers got right to work, starting with social media. They quickly realized they’d be dealing with Welch who had been communicating with the victim on the smartphone app, Snapchat. 

“He actually knew the family also, he had made some attempts with the family to visit with them,” said Catron. “We feel like at that point was when he was able to start working his way in with her.” 

After a month, police said Welch and the victim began regularly meeting. Welch even snuck into the victim’s home. Investigators believe Welch eventually convinced her that he’d help her run away from home.  

“Especially sex predators, they tend to use whatever means necessary to get who they are looking for and get on their good side,” said Catron. “What I mean by that, is they will look for things in a victim such as emotional need.” 

The cousin eventually broke away and told police the two were hiding under a railroad bridge on Kingfisher Creek north of town. 

“One of the officers came upon Dakota and the female walking on the railroad tracks, he ordered Dakota to stop and of course Dakota fled and ran on foot,” said Catron. “That officer was by himself at that point, he had the female with him.”  

Days later, Welch turned himself into the Kingfisher County jail. 

The victim told police she had no idea Welch was 25, nor a sex offender. 

Police warn parents that cases like this anywhere are far too common.  

“I can’t emphasize enough that we need to make sure, as a parent, that we monitor what our children are doing on the internet,” said Catron. “It is not a safe world.” 

Welch faces several charges including second-degree rape, harboring a runaway child, lewd or indecent proposals/acts to a child, failure to register as a sex offender, and violation of a safety zone.  

Welch faces life in prison.  

Catron said Welch was sentenced to only probation in the 2015 rape case after pleading guilty.