Attorney General Wants Grand Jury to Investigate Child Rapist Only Serving 1 Year in Jail

News9.com

OKLAHOMA CITY - Attorney General Drew Edmondson had requested a grand jury investigation of other possible crimes committed by a convicted child rapist who was sentences to only one year in jail.

David Earls, 64, pleaded no contest to charges that he raped a 5-year-old. His case received national attention earlier this year after he received a 20-year sentence, with 19 years suspended, meaning he'll only serve one year.

Edmondson filed a request Friday to convene a grand jury in Pittsburg County.

"Earls is set to leave prison on his previous conviction for rape and forcible sodomy in just a few weeks," Edmondson said.  "After reviewing Earls' case file, I asked our investigators to look further into Earls' history and to determine if other unprosecuted crimes existed."

Attorney General Drew Edmondson today has asked the Pittsburg County District Court to empanel a grand jury to hear new evidence in an alleged child rape and sexual abuse case.

The grand jury will investigate Earls' "alleged lewd and lascivious acts against a child under fourteen," according the request.

"Our investigators interviewed potential victims and witnesses in three different states," Edmondson said.  "We gathered information of alleged sexual abuse going back about 30 years.  We also learned of more recent allegations that have not been charged."