FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 23, 2026

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office has filed charges against two individuals following an investigation into the sexual abuse of a minor.

Nathan Lee Potier, 36, is charged with one count of Child Sexual Abuse. Erica Palmer is charged with one count of Enabling Child Sexual Abuse and two counts of Desertion of a Child Under 15.

The case began with a Child Protective Services (CPS) referral involving a 14-year-old girl who was reported to be pregnant. Palmer made statements to police that Potier, her boyfriend, was the one that impregnated her daughter.

Investigators also learned that Palmer was aware of prior allegations of sexual abuse involving Potier and her daughter that had been reported in another state. Despite this knowledge, Palmer allowed Potier to live with her and her children after relocating to Oklahoma.

“Let’s be clear: this was not surrogacy. It was the sexual abuse of a 14-year-old child, and any attempt to characterize it otherwise is deeply troubling,” said District Attorney Vicki Zemp Behenna. “Our top priority is the safety and well-being of the 14-year-old girl, who was neglected and then abandoned by her mother, along with her younger sibling.”The pair left Oklahoma during the investigation but have been located in Reno, Nevada.

The U.S. Marshals took them into custody on March 17, 2026, and they are currently in the Washoe County Detention Facility awaiting extradition back to Oklahoma.

Criminal charges are based on probable cause to believe a person has committed a crime. All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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