Disgraced former state senator Ralph Shortey pleaded guilty in federal court to child trafficking charges. It's part of a plea deal where prosecutors agreed to drop child porn charges.

Former state Sen. Ralph Shortey is expected to plead guilty to child sex trafficking charges in court Thursday.

One of Governor Mary Fallin's top tasks for legislators this special session is education funding, and one of the new faces in the crowd brings first-hand experience from the classroom after he and two other Democrats were recently able to turn historically red seats blue.

Newly unsealed court documents reveal at least two people knew former Sen. Ralph Shortey was in possession of child porn but failed to report it. 

Overall, it's been an embarrassing year for state lawmakers. They passed an unconstitutional tax and forced a special session, failed to reach a budget deal, and have been distracted by one scandal after another.

The federal indictment against former Republican state Sen. Ralph Shortey comes five months after police found him in a hotel room with a 17-year-old boy. Shortey, 35, turned himself into federal authorities early Tuesday morning, according to a News 9 source. The indictment filed in U.S. District Court (District of Oklahoma) remained under seal Tuesday morning, making for a significantly more discreet surrender than he’d made in the past. “I have no comment at this time...

Oklahoma Senate District 44 has a new senator. Michael Brooks took the oath of office Tuesday morning at the Capitol.  

With three special elections underway on Tuesday, Oklahomans are paying for the second, third and fourth time to fill seats left empty by Republican lawmakers, with more than a half dozen more elections on the way.  In all, seven seats were vacated this year. 

Two candidates are hoping to fill the vacant senate seat after ex-Senator Ralph Shortey resigned.

Republican State Senator Bryce Marlatt (R-Woodward) will be stripped from his committee leadership positions after accusations he made unwanted advances toward an Uber driver in June.

Gov. Mary Fallin has called for two special elections for fill the vacancies in Oklahoma Senate District 44 and Oklahoma House District 46.  

Former State Senator Ralph Shortey appeared at the Cleveland County Court House Friday afternoon for his arraignment on child prostitution charges.