Charles Kyote Dunn, who once ran city hall in Waurika and wore a badge as a reserve police officer, will serve a 15-year prison term with credit for time served after pleading guilty to charges tied to child sexual abuse material. A Jefferson County judge handed down a 20-year sentence with five years suspended, closing out a case that began with recording devices allegedly discovered inside his own home.
Dunn served as city manager for the City of Waurika and as a reserve officer for the Waurika Police Department, according to News 9. The investigation that would end his career started in January 2024, when the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office asked the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to look into a possible sex offense in Waurika, per the same outlet's reporting.
Recording Devices Allegedly Found in Dunn's Home
The case reportedly began after someone found two recording devices in a bedroom and bathroom inside Dunn's home, according to KSWO. OSBI agents identified Dunn as a suspect during their investigation, and on January 11, 2024, agents interviewed him and served a search warrant at his residence, the station's report notes.
After seizing Dunn's personal electronic devices, investigators said they uncovered several images containing child sexual abuse material. A subsequent search of those devices reportedly turned up around 1,970 images involving five different individuals, per the same account. OSBI agents arrested Dunn in Duncan on October 17, 2024.
Guilty Plea Follows Nearly Two Years of Proceedings
Dunn had originally pleaded not guilty to the charges, but he changed his plea on Tuesday, admitting guilt to possession and manufacture of child sexual abuse material and to loitering around a residence to watch occupants, the outlet reported. The shift closed out a case that had stretched from the January 2024 investigation through an October 2024 arrest and into this week's sentencing.
A Jefferson County judge sentenced Dunn to 20 years in prison, with five of those years to be served under a suspended sentence, according to News 9. Under the plea agreement, Dunn will serve a 15-year prison term with credit for time served.
Age and Registration Requirement
KSWO's report lists Dunn as 32 when OSBI identified him as a suspect.
Once he is released from prison, Dunn will be required to register as a sex offender, according to KOKH. The case marks a stunning fall for a man who once held both an administrative post running Waurika's city government and a sworn role enforcing the law as a reserve officer for its police department.
