A Tulsa man made an initial appearance this week in federal court after being charged with Burglary in the First Degree in Indian Country and Strangulation of a Dating Partner in Indian Country.
Tyler Austin McGhee, 26, was arrested on Oct. 23 by Broken Arrow Police officers after he entered the home of his former girlfriend and allegedly assaulted her.
According to the complaint, the victim stated that McGhee physically assaulted her by putting her in a headlock and attempting to cover her mouth with duct tape. She also stated that he later sexually assaulted her.
the victim tried to calm McGhee down and eventually found an opportunity to text a friend to call 911 as she thought McGhee might kill her if she attempted to do so herself. When officers arrived, they found McGhee in the apartment and his backpack under the bed, which allegedly contained black duct tape, black latex gloves, handcuffs, a knife, condoms, and sexual lubricant.
When officers questioned McGhee, he denied any assault to the victim and claimed he just wanted to talk to her.
“Survivors of domestic violence are a resilient group. Tragically, we’ve seen domestic violence cases on the rise during this global pandemic. These are often challenging cases to present, but this United States Attorney’s Office will not shy away from tough cases nor miss an opportunity to give a voice to victims of domestic violence,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “These allegations in the Complaint will receive the full attention and resources of my office as we seek to hold Tyler McGhee accountable for his alleged criminal acts.”
A Complaint is a temporary charge alleging a violation of law. For the case to proceed to trial, the United States must present the charge to a federal Grand Jury within 30 days. Once a Grand Jury returns an Indictment, a defendant has a right to a jury trial at which the United States would have the burden of proving the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The FBI and Broken Arrow Police Department are conducting the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon Cozzoni is prosecuting the case.
