A suspect was located by information contained in pictures developed at a drug store.
Five Tulsans were charged Friday with rape and child pornography in a case
that developed after police
were notified that film containing sexually explicit photographs had been
dropped off at a drugstore.
The recovery of the pictures prompted police to issue a public alert in
July about the safety of a
then-unidentified female who investigators said was photographed while
apparently being sexually
assaulted by several males.
Investigators learned the identity of the girl from a family member, Det. Charles Haywood said.
Counts of rape by instrumentation and manufacturing child pornography were
filed against Tremaine
Eugene Crawford, 21; Frederick Anthony Wilson, 19; Dominique Latrell Smith,
17; Corey Edward
Thompson, 19; and William C. Noles Jr., 20.
The five are charged with using a bottle and a bathroom plunger to rape
a girl -- reportedly 16 or 17 years
old -- in April. They are also accused of manufacturing images
of a minor engaged in sexual acts at
Thompson's residence.
Arrest warrants for all five defendants were issued Friday. The charges
allege that they acted in concert
with each other and with one "unknown other person."
The girl -- who is identified by name in court records -- reportedly has been interviewed by police.
Police reported a month ago that Crawford had the photos developed
at the Walgreen's drug store at
11332 E. 31st St. Photographs showed four males holding down a female
who appeared to be fighting
back during a "possible rape by instrumentation," a police document said.
Other pictures showed a vehicle with a license tag -- plus street intersection
signs and a house address
number -- that led investigators to Crawford, said an affidavit by Detective
Marnie Waller.
Crawford was identifiable in the pictures, Waller's affidavit said.