Claremore Man Sentenced for Sexual Abuse

Tulsa, Okla. – A Cherokee citizen from Claremore was sentenced for aggravated sexual abuse of a minor under 12 in Indian Country and sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Raymond Dale Dudley, 61, was sentenced July 6 2023, by U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell to 40 years for count one, aggravated sexual abuse of a minor under 12 in Indian Country, and 15 years for count two, sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country. Frizzell further ordered the sentences to run concurrently followed by supervised release, and fined Dudley $50,000.

“The defendant repeatedly abused his own daughter and coerced her into lying about it to avoid prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Clinton Johnson. “The court made it clear that the abuse, betrayal, and blame shifting inflicted on the victim warranted a lengthy sentence.” 

According to his plea agreement, Dudley admitted that he sexually abused the victim between 2009 and 2013. He further admitted that the abuse started when she was approximately nine years old and lasted until she was 13 years old.

In a court filing, the prosecutor elaborated that in 2013, the victim’s older sister reported that she had been sexually abused by Dudley. At that time, Dudley promised the younger victim that he would stop abusing her if she hid the sexual abuse from child protective services workers when they investigated the older sister’s abuse. The younger victim complied, denying any abuse when she was interviewed at the home in 2013. The Oklahoma Department of Human Services closed the investigation.  In 2015, the older sister again disclosed that Dudley abused her, but the Oklahoma Department of Human Services closed the referral, citing the 2013 case closure.

In 2021, the younger victim, now an adult, spoke about the abuse with an individual she trusted. Soon after, the victim reported the crimes to the Claremore Police Department. The younger victim disclosed Dudley repeatedly abused her, and it started when she was nine years old. Investigators also spoke to the older victim who reported being abused by Dudley.

The FBI and Claremore Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chantelle D. Dial and Valeria G. Luster prosecuted the case.

The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.