A former Tulsa police officer has received 30 years in prison after pleading guilty in a federal sexual exploitation case involving children.
Chief District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell also sentenced Noel McFadden, 71, of Broken Arrow, to a lifetime of supervised release. McFadden must also pay more than $18,300 in restitution.
McFadden pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a child on Feb. 16. In April 2017, McFadden knowingly coerced a minor under the age of 12 to take pictures of her genitals with a cellphone he had given her.
"I applaud the hard work of the FBI and the Broken Arrow police department in bringing this child predator to justice. But most importantly, it was due to the courageous efforts of two small children and their family who made sure Noel McFadden will never harm another child," said United States Attorney Trent Shores. "They stood up to their abuser and ended it."
At sentencing, several relatives of the victim spoke about the harm McFadden inflicted.
"One of his victims, only 9 years old, made a powerful statement in open court where she emphasized she was not a victim, but a strong survivor," said Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey A. Gallant. "She stood up to McFadden and ensured no other children would ever be harmed again by him."
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.
McFadden still faces seven state-level counts of sexual abuse of a child under the age of 12. The state and federal cases involve the same two sisters, who were 8 and 5 at the time of the incidents.