A Stilwell man has been found guilty of one of the most repulsive crimes imaginable—sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl during a cross-state road trip in 2017. David Anthony Romannose, 45, was convicted Wednesday in federal court on charges of aggravated sexual abuse by force and threat in Indian Country, as well as sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country, following a trial in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The abuse occurred on July 4, 2017, as Romannose, a citizen of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma, traveled with a group returning from a festival in Seiling. While en route through Craig County, he attacked the young victim in the backseat of a vehicle on the Will Rogers Turnpike—Interstate Highway I-44—near Vinita, a stretch of road that falls within Indian Country jurisdiction. The victim, a citizen of the Oneida Indian Nation, later disclosed that the abuse continued after the group reached New York.
Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson didn’t mince words: “David Romannose abused the trust placed in him by a 12-year-old child who, at the time, considered him a friend.” He praised the victim’s courage in testifying, calling her account “extremely difficult” but vital to holding Romannose accountable. “She is to be commended for her courage and for stopping this defendant from preying on other children,” Johnson said.
Family members testified during the trial that the girl’s behavior changed drastically after the trip—she became withdrawn, angry, and emotionally volatile. Those unexplained shifts, investigators say, are classic signs of child sexual trauma. It wasn’t until she spoke with a counselor and a trusted family member that the full horror of what happened came to light.
The case was a joint effort between the FBI, the Oneida Indian Nation Police Department, the Craig County Sheriff’s Office, and the Craig County District Attorney’s Office. Alvin M. Winston, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oklahoma City, emphasized the Bureau’s commitment: “Protecting children is a top priority for the FBI, and we are pleased with today’s conviction.”
David Anthony Romannose now faces sentencing before Chief U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III on June 3, 2022. Prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gina S. Gilmore and Stacey P. Todd, the conviction marks a hard-won victory for a child who fought back, and for the law enforcement network that ensured justice was served.
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Key Facts
- State: Oklahoma
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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