A Cherokee County man, who was a fugitive just a few weeks ago, is now free on bond and detectives are outraged.72-year-old Roxie Wagers faces nine counts of felony lewd molestation of a child in Tahlequah."I don't want there to be another opportunity for him to get away," said Tahlequah Police Detective Thomas Donnell. He worked the case for two months. After charges were filed, he joined a nationwide manhunt to catch Wagers. He found out Wagers was out on bond from the victim’s mom."She was pretty upset. I didn't know anything about it," Donnell told FOX23’s Dontaye Carter.He wasn’t in the courtroom. The Cherokee County Assistant D.A. Douglas Dry says he takes full responsibility for it. Dry says he was in trial the past two weeks and didn’t realize Wagers’ Attorney, Donn Baker, had filed a hearing motion Monday. District Court Judge Mark Dobbins granted Wagers a $100,000 bond. The D.A.’s office says Wagers will be on house arrest at a family member’s place in Owasso. He’s not allowed to leave the property. Dry says if he does the ankle monitor will send them an alert almost immediately.Dobbins told FOX23 he couldn’t comment about a pending case. Dry sent this statement to FOX23:"I probably should have requested an in court hearing and had my assistant D.A., who was more familiar with the circumstances of defendant's being in Florida along with having the lead investigator of the case testify, to fully express our, the state's objection to a bond. However, the Judge did review the date of the incidents for which the defendant was charged and took it in consideration and the lifelong residence of the defendant, along with his history and family ties in the state of Oklahoma and Tahlequah community."
"You kind of get down and I feel like I let the victim down. I feel like I let the family down," said Donnell.The incidents date back to 2006. They victim claims Wagers forcibly fondled her numerous times throughout the years. Parents of the victim came forward in November after their child told them what happened. Police say the parents recorded Wagers’ confession and a $17,000 offer to keep them silent. Investigators tell FOX23 there could be two other victims.
If found guilty Wagers could face up to 20 years for each lewd molestation charge and no less than 25 years in prison for the attempted solicitation of a minor for indecent exposure.
