A preliminary hearing has been set for a former Oklahoma State University (OSU) student facing multiple charges of sexual battery. Nathan Cochran, 22, appeared in court earlier this week with his attorney on allegations that he targeted three OSU students while they slept, on November 3, 2011, and August 11 and 15, 2012. Cochran was …
A preliminary hearing has been set for a former Oklahoma State University (OSU) student facing multiple charges of sexual battery. Nathan Cochran, 22, appeared in court earlier this week with his attorney on allegations that he targeted three OSU students while they slept, on November 3, 2011, and August 11 and 15, 2012. Cochran was charged with three counts of sexual battery on December 12, and a forth count was filed on January 4. The former student is free on $100,000 bond. If you have been charged with sexual battery or another serious sex crime in Oklahoma, contact our criminal defense attorneys at Oklahoma Legal Center for legal help. Our legal team has years of experience protecting the rights of individuals charged with sex offenses in Oklahoma, and can help you build a strong defense in your sex crime case.
Sex Offenses in Oklahoma
On November 30, a student conduct board at OSU found Cochran responsible for four sexual misconduct violations and suspended the 22-year-old from the school for three years, effective until January 1, 2016. In two of the cases, the students claimed that Cochran assaulted them on campus property. Authorities did not learn of the allegations, however, until December 6, when a reporter from OSU’s student newspaper contacted Stillwater police for comment. OSU faced significant criticism for its failure to notify police immediately after becoming aware of the sexual accusations. In response to the case, the Oklahoma A&M Board of Regents approved policy changes on March 1, for OSU and its other institutions, requiring employees to notify law enforcement quickly when they learn of allegations involving sexual assault.
Consult Our Criminal Defense Attorneys Today
Sexual assault and battery are typically charged as felony offenses in Oklahoma and are punished harshly under state law. In fact, the nature of a sexual battery charge in Oklahoma is so broad that it allows a large range of actions to be charged as sex crimes in the state. For individuals convicted of sexual battery in Oklahoma, penalties may include up to ten years in state prison, mandatory registration as a sex offender with local law enforcement, and more. If you are facing sexual battery charges or charges for another sex offense in Oklahoma, your first course of action should be to consult our criminal defense lawyers at Oklahoma Legal Center. Our law firm is located in Oklahoma City, and our attorneys can improve your chances of having your charges reduced to a lesser offense or possibly even dismissed altogether.