Former Oklahoma basketball coach found guilty of sexting minor on app for hookups

SHAWNEE − A former Shawnee Public Schools assistant athletic director was convicted Friday of a sex crime in a case that may have helped Ryan Walters win the state schools superintendent race.

A jury found Ronald Gene Arthur, 53, guilty of a felony for sexting a teenager in 2021.

Jurors chose five years in prison and a $3,500 fine as punishment. He showed no emotion as the verdict was read inside the Pottawatomie County Courthouse.

Arthur was the boys' basketball coach for 16 seasons in Shawnee before stepping down in 2020.

'I believe I am one of many': Witness speaks out against former Shawnee coach accused of misconduct

He resigned as assistant athletic director in 2021 after coming under investigation. He had held that position for six years.

The victim testified he was 17 at the time. He said they met up twice for oral sex after communicating over their cellphones through the Grindr app.

Prosecutors alleged the communications on Grindr began before the victim graduated from Shawnee High School. The first sexual encounter was days after graduation, according to testimony.

Arthur went by the user name "Older For Younger" on Grindr. He admitted in a 2021 interview with the undersheriff he knew the app was for hookups.

"In person, he had me call him coach," the victim testified.

Case comes into play during Oklahoma state schools superintendent race

The criminal case impacted the race for Oklahoma's top education position because a top candidate, April Grace, was the Shawnee school superintendent at the time.

She faced intense criticism after Arthur's arrest over her handling of past complaints about him. State Sen. Shane Jett, R-Shawnee, alleged in 2022 there had been a coverup.

Walters beat Grace in the 2022 Republican primary runoff when he got 53% of the vote.

Verdict against former Shawnee coach came quickly

The 12 jurors reached their unanimous verdict quickly. They left the courtroom at 2:12 p.m. Friday to begin deliberations. They notified the judge by buzzer 49 minutes later they had a verdict.

Arthur was convicted of engaging in communication for sexual or prurient interest with a minor by use of technology.

The law prohibits sexual communications over cellphones with anyone under 18 even though the age of consent for sex in Oklahoma is 16.

The maximum punishment for that crime is 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Arthur did not testify.

He admitted, though, in his 2021 interview to hooking up with two former students. He also admitted to buying students shoes, cleats, movie tickets and, once, a jersey. He said he gave some money.

The victim told his mother about Arthur in July 2021 after the second hookup at a dead-end road, according to testimony. "He was crying the entire time," the mother said. "I slept with him all night."

She called the sheriff's office the next day.

The victim said he felt awful after the first encounter and only met up the second time to break himself mentally so he could kill himself. "I had a girlfriend at the time. I was ashamed of myself," he testified.

He said he told his mother instead.

Arthur had been charged in 2021 with one count of forcible sodomy over his first hookup with the victim. That felony count was dropped before trial.

Witnesses describe history of behavior with students: 'It's been a long time coming'

Prosecutors put on testimony from four other former students in an effort to show jurors that Arthur had a pattern of seeing how far he could go.

"A coach should be a role model," Assistant District Attorney Lori McConnell said in her closing argument. "This coach is a predator."

One former basketball player, Rob Hair, has spoken out publicly before and was the first prosecution witness.

Hair told jurors Arthur fondled him twice when he was a freshman after repeatedly making inappropriate sexual comments.

He said the first time, in 2006, was on picture day. "I was frozen, scared," Hair said.

"Justice was served," Hair said after the verdict. "It's been a long time coming."

Another former student told jurors he had sex with Arthur 10 times after being basically told he would not graduate if he did not comply. "I felt disgusted every time," the witness said.

A former student who came from Nevada to testify against the coach recalled they had a "one-time thing" after he graduated in 2011. They had met through Craigslist.

"For years, he tried to get me to come to his home to have sex with him, and I finally did," that witness said. "I knew it was wrong. That's why I never went back and did it again."

Arthur had been charged with one count of first-degree rape over that 2011 encounter. That felony count also was dropped before trial.

The last former student to testify said Arthur once rubbed lotion on his sunburned back in the locker room. He called it weird.

He also recalled Arthur playing basketball shirtless and blowing on people's necks.

Defense attorneys contended prosecutors had not proven Arthur committed any crime because none of the communications over Grindr had been recovered.

Formal sentencing date set

Arthur was handcuffed in the courtroom after jurors left. Formal sentencing is Feb. 7.

Outside the courthouse Friday, Sen. Jett repeated his allegations of a coverup.

"People who were interested in protecting Ron Arthur did so at the expense of at least 10 victims that we're aware of," the legislator said.

Jett said he will work "to close loopholes to make sure that a 15-year coverup will never be possible again in public schools across Oklahoma."

Allegations of a coverup also are at the heart of a federal lawsuit against Shawnee Public Schools and Arthur.

"The Shawnee School District should provide a safe learning environment for its students. It failed to do so," attorney Cameron Spradling wrote.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Jury finds former Shawnee coach and assistant athletic director guilty