Former Boone-Apache schools employee, Wichita Tribe secretary accused of lewd conduct with tween

ANADARKO — The secretary of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes and a former Boone-Apache School paraprofessional is free on $15,000 bond after being charged with allegations he sexually abused a 13-year-old student.

Myles Robert Stephenson Jr., 52, of Anadarko, made his initial appearance Monday in Caddo County District Court where he received two felony charges of lewd or indecent acts to a child under 16, records indicate.

Apache police began investigating Stephenson on Jan. 20 after the girl’s mother reported inappropriate touching by a school paraprofessional, Stephenson, a.k.a. “Coach Pun kin,” the probable cause affidavit states. The girl said she’d been in a meeting with Stephenson in a storage room the day before and he’d made inappropriate statements and touching before giving her a $100 bill. She said on several occasions he’d patted her buttocks, as well.

The girl said Stephenson told how he sleeps, what he wears to bed, that he walks around naked, how he touched her, bought her pizzas and had given her money, beginning in sixth grade, according to the affidavit. She told investigators, at first, she didn’t think anything about it but as she got older she thought it was weird and made her uncomfortable.

Closed circuit security video from Jan. 19 showed the two inside the room for 3 minutes and 28 seconds alone with the door shut, the affidavit states. When she left the room, investigators said she looked “uneasy” and “nervous.”

Stephenson at first agreed to speak with police on Jan. 26 but the day before, he sent a letter with attorney Tony Burns with a statement that “this student is lying in her statement and I have no idea why this student would make these false claims against me other than she is just craving attention,” according to the affidavit. He denied being alone with the girl.

Boone-Apache Public Schools Superintendent Todd Vail issued a statement following the charges. He said Stephenson was immediately placed on administrative leave following the allegations. Stephenson resigned while the investigation was under way. Vail said the school district will continue to cooperate with the investigation.

Wichita and Affiliated Tribes President Terri Parton said in a statement that she was made aware of the charges against Stephenson on Friday. He serves as the tribe’s secretary.

“While these are just charges at this time and Mr. Stephenson has not been convicted, we must take actions that are in the best interest of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes,” she stated. “We are still gathering information and will take official actions regarding the secretary position, upcoming elections where Mr. Stephenson has filed for secretary and his position on the Wichita Housing Authority. Regardless of the outcome of the charges, the Wichita Executive Committee will take action to protect the Tribe as Mr. Stephenson goes through the court process.”

Parton noted this is a tough time for the tribe and that all parties involved need to be kept in prayers.

“The best thing we can do is pray and not judge,” she stated. “Judgment is for the courts to decide.”

Stephenson returns to court at 9 a.m. June 27 for attorney announcements, records indicate.