Rex Jason Sumner tells a courtroom that he sexually abused
two young girls from his church.
STILLWATER -- In a
hushed courtroom, with only the sound of a young girl crying,
a former youth leader at River of Life Church north of Perkins
pleaded guilty Friday to repeatedly sexually abusing two girls
who attend ed the church.
Both girls were in the courtroom as Rex Jason Sumner, 31,
of Perkins, who was the church's youth leader for about a year
until his arrest in December, admitted his guilt on all 10
counts to District Judge Donald Worthington.
Sumner was a former correctional officer at Cushing's
private prison who was given seven years of probation a year
ago for smuggling a pound of marijuana into Cimarron
Correctional Facility.
Because of his criminal record, Sumner could receive up to
400 years in prison for the 10 charges.
However, after court recessed, defense attorney Bob Ward
said that under Sumner's plea bargain, "He'll get 20 (years)
to do on each count concurrently." Sumner will have to
register as a sex offender, Ward said.
Court documents filed with Sumner's guilty plea Friday
indicate that he expects to receive a 20-year prison term
under the plea bargain. He remains jailed without bail pending
his sentencing May 10.
During an interview, the mother of the 12-year-old girl
said that both girls were in court Friday because "They needed
to see him say `I did it.' "
She said that Sumner's guilty plea would be helpful to the
girls.
"People at school know about it; it vindicated the girls
that he did it."
She said her daughter was in counseling and noted, "The
Lord has been gracious. He has sustained us. The church has
been wonderful."
Don Russell, pastor of the River of Life Church, fought
back tears as he said after court Friday, "The ones that are
hurt are the immediate family, our families. He hurt these
children, our children. He's not apologized."
But Russell emphasized, "We're praying for his wife and
children, as well as our own."
Asked what should happen to Sumner, Russell said, "I feel
justice will be done. He'll serve prison time."
The church, which has 200 members, has pulled together
during the ordeal.
"We haven't lost one family because of this," Russell said.
He said the church has a new youth leader who is "doing a
marvelous job."
The sexual abuse of the girls came to light when the sister
and brother-in-law of the 15-year- old girl found a note that
both girls "had been writing back and forth, indicating sex
and drugs" with Sumner, an affidavit by Payne County Deputy
Sheriff Walter Longan said.
The 15-year-old said "it all started" while she was riding
home from a youth rally on March 9 of last year with Sumner
when "he took her shoe off and was rubbing her foot" and then
her leg, the affidavit said.
The 12-year-old said that while she was camping with her
family on Memorial Day Weekend of last year, Sumner was at the
campground and that when she was alone with him in a camper he
fondled her breasts and she masturbated him at his request,
the affidavit said.
Sumner pleaded guilty to five counts involving the
12-year-old girl between May and December of last year; three
counts of lewd molestation; and one count each of indecent
proposal to a child and oral sodomy.
Sumner pleaded guilty to five counts involving the
15-year-old girl between April and December of last year;
three counts of oral sodomy; and one count each of
second-degree rape and lewd molestation.
