A former East Central girl's softball coach, accused molesting a teenaged player, has accepted a plea deal. Tommy Rogers pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge in court Friday.
"It felt really great that he would say it and that he admits it," says 14-year-old Destiny Fennell. She says it was hard to find the strength to come forward and report that popular East Central girl's softball coach, Tommy Rogers, asked her sexually explicit questions and fondled her.
But she did report it, even though she claims Rogers' arrest caused Destiny to become the target of harassment and threats. "It was hard what I've gone through but it was the best thing to do."
Rogers' attorney, Kevin Adams, says his client admits to only part of Destiny's claims. "The basis for the plea of the outrageous public decency, was that he made inappropriate comments to somebody who was underage. But he never fondled or touched anybody."
Rogers pleaded guilty to a charge of outraging public decency. He received a two-year deferred sentence and 80 hours of community service. As long as he stays out of trouble for those two years, the charge will be expunged from his record.
District Attorney Tim Harris tells 2NEWS, "He made comments to this child that no adult should ever make to a child. And so I think, all things being equal, this holds him accountable and exacts some consequences."
Destiny's mother, Tommie Fennell, is disappointed Rogers won't serve jail time or have to register as a sex offender. "I would rather see him where he could never work with kids again. That is what we wanted. But at least he got something. At least he admitted guilt."
Tulsa Public Schools fired Rogers in October after a campus police department investigation found Fennell's claims were valid. The school district contacted Tulsa Police who later arrested Rogers.
