The Tulsa Police Department, along with the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office, the District Attorney's Office, the Office of Juvenile Affairs, and Homeland Security, served a search warrant on July 12 at the Family Center for Juvenile Justice.
The search warrant is related to multiple investigations into misconduct at the center.
This includes a former detention officer being charged with multiple sex crimes, including two counts of lewd molestation and one count of soliciting a minor for indecent exposure.
On May 2, Tulsa County Juvenile Detection Officer Jonathan Hines was charged with human trafficking, possessing a cell phone in jail and destroying evidence.
Tulsa juvenile detention officer charged with human trafficking
The Tulsa Police Special Victims Unit is actively investigating the crimes as well. Some have been asking what took law enforcement so long to get involved.
Captain Richard Meulenberg, a spokesman for TPD said it's all part of the process.
"The Tulsa County District Attorney’s office, they’re gonna be the highest law enforcement in this county, and we’re gonna work under them," Meulenberg said, "Collectively, with all these groups to make sure, no missteps. Let’s get this. It’s going to take time."
On July 11, Chief Judge Kevin Gray of the Juvenile Division asked to be relieved from overseeing the Family Center for Juvenile Justice entirely.
Chief Judge of Juvenile Division asks to be relieved of overseeing FCJJ director
He was appointed to his position in early 2023, but the documented issues with the center date back to July 2020.
The FCJJ was placed on probation in May 2023 for a variety of issues, including only allowing inmates two hours a day out of their rooms when 12 hours is required, understaffing, not resolving juvenile grievances, and the entire C Unit being inoperative because of bubbling and peeling walls.
Members of the community were at the Greenwood Cultural Center on July 11 to learn more about the allegations of misconduct and sexual abuse at the FCJJ.
Juvenile Justice Center Town Hall
2 News reached out to the State of Oklahoma's Office of Juvenile Affairs, who declined to comment about the ongoing investigation.
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