A Bristow police sergeant is facing a sexual battery allegation after investigators allege he inappropriately touched and kissed a 19-year-old employee. A warrant was issued against Trent Bray on September 30.
A warrant was issued, and Bray had not been booked into the Creek County Sheriff's Office.
Bristow Mayor Kris Wyatt says Bray was suspended before she was ever contacted about the allegations, and that the Oklahoma Bureau of Investigation subsequently opened its own inquiry. Oklahoma statutory procedure requires a formal request from an authorized agency or official before the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation can step into a local misconduct case. In a separate investigation, The Frontier reported concerns about potential conflicts and impartiality.
What the Law Says About Bray's Charge
Under Oklahoma Statute Title 21, Section 1123(B), sexual battery includes intentional touching, mauling, or feeling of the body or private parts of a person age 16 or older in a lewd manner. The Urbanic Law Firm describes lack of consent as one prohibited theory and lists specific authority-based theories, including government custody or authority. A felony conviction under that statute would also mandate lifetime registration on the Oklahoma Sex and Violent Crime Offender Registry, according to The Urbanic Law Firm, since sexual battery is classified as a Level 3 sex offense carrying permanent registry status.
Bray was placed on paid administrative leave while the state investigation proceeds.
A Small Town Department in the Spotlight
Bray has since been promoted to sergeant. Bristow is a small town — the kind of community where allegations against a police sergeant tend to draw heightened scrutiny.
It is not the first time Bristow's police department has made headlines this year. In a July marijuana raid, Bristow police partnered with the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office on a multi-location search warrant operation targeting illegal marijuana sales across three properties in town.
The case remains a developing story. It is unclear whether Bray will surrender to Creek County authorities or whether the district attorney will file formal charging documents once the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation completes its inquiry.
