The Duncan Banner

Local News

September 17, 2009

Two face charges

18-year-old man arrested

Toni Hopper

DUNCAN — Two people have been arrested, one on rape charges and another for enabling child sexual abuse, after an investigation by the Stephens County Sheriff’s Department earlier this week.

Derrik Johnathan Weatherly, 18, of Walters, was arrested Wednesday by the sheriff’s department and has been charged in Stephens County District Court with four counts of first-degree rape. His victim was a 6-year-old child, Sheriff Wayne McKinney and District Attorney Bret Burns both said.

Each rape charge conviction carries a sentence of life without parole, Burns said.

“His crime is terrible. He will be evaluated in the court system. Our position is he can never be allowed to be around children again,” Burns said.

“Mr. Weatherly has a long history. He was abused as a child, and has limited intellectual function, but the bottom line is he raped a 6-year-old child on four different occasions,” Burns said Thursday.

Weatherly was in court Thursday, and the district attorney’s office plans to request a $500,000 bond, but the defendant asked if he could be allowed 24 hours to find an attorney before bond is set. He will appear in court today.

Brenda Romine, 30, of Duncan, was also arrested at the Stephens County Courthouse on Thursday. She has been charged with enabling child sexual abuse, a felony charge. Burns plans to recommend she serve up to life in prison, if convicted.

Romine was arraigned Thursday and a $50,000 bond was requested by the prosecutor’s office, and granted by Associate District Judge Brent Russell. She is scheduled for a preliminary hearing conference on Oct. 14, Burns said.

McKinney said the investigation is ongoing and that Department of Human Services has been working with his department on this case. McKinney said the rapes occurred in a Comanche area residence.

“We are looking at possible additional arrests later on,” McKinney said.

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