Sapulpa Man Sentenced to Life for Aggravated Sexual Abuse

A Sapulpa man was sentenced today. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced David Bert Paycer, 52, to life in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release.

In May of 2023, a federal jury found Paycer guilty of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor under 12 years of age in Indian Country. According to court documents, Paycer gained access to his 8-year-old victim by taking over primary care, shortly after meeting and marrying the victim’s mother. Paycer’s grooming began immediately, which lead to sexually abusing the victim. He warned the minor victim not to tell anyone. At trial, the jury heard from four total victims, who testified against Paycer in court. Those victims all testified that Paycer had sexually abused them when they were between the ages of 6 and 8 years old.

“David Paycer preyed on, manipulated and sexually abused an 8-year-old victim left in his care,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This week, the Court made it clear that Paycer’s predatory actions and blame shifting warranted a lifetime in federal prison.”

Previously released on bond prior to trial, Paycer self-surrender after trial and was taken into custody where he will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.

The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Valeria Luster and Chantelle Dial prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.