Unregistered sex offender accused of snapping, choking girlfriend

A woman’s claim her boyfriend “snapped” and began to strangle her led to his arrest for domestic violence and the discovery by police he was a sex offender who didn’t register.

Kevin Wayne Baker, 47, of Lawton, made his initial appearance Wednesday in Comanche County District Court where he received felony charges of failure to register as a sex offender and domestic abuse — assault and battery, second and subsequent, records indicate.

Lawton Police Sgt. Chris Puetz stated he was called to an apartment in the 1600 block of Southwest Texas Avenue shortly after 8 p.m. Monday regarding a disturbance with a weapon. He arrived and spoke with Baker’s girlfriend.

The woman said she’d been arguing for several hours with her boyfriend, Baker, and “he suddenly snapped,” grabbed her by the neck and forced her down causing her to struggle to breathe, the probable cause affidavit states. Puetz saw several red marks on her neck and scratches consistent with her story, he stated. Once Baker let her go, she called her brother to come protect her because Baker wouldn’t leave the home, she said.

After the woman and her children left the home she shares with Baker, police spoke with him inside the house. He said he’d been playing video games and he and the woman were verbally arguing but denied anything physical happened, the affidavit states. He was arrested for domestic violence allegations.

During a search of Baker’s information, Puetz stated he learned Baker had an outstanding Comanche County arrest warrant for failure to register as a sex offender. Baker confirmed he’d never registered, according to the affidavit.

Baker has three prior convictions: December 1999, Martin Parish County, Louisiana, sexual battery; and August 2018, Quachita Parish County, Louisiana, two counts of domestic abuse and battery by strangulation, records indicate.

Held on $100,000 bond with the stipulation he have no contact with the woman or her children, Baker returns to court at 3 p.m. March 12, 2024, for his preliminary hearing conference.