New Details Released In Arrest Of OKC Police Officer

A 10-year veteran of the Oklahoma City police force is now under investigation by his own department.

Oklahoma City police confirm Lt. Alex Edwards was arrested late Friday night.

During a Monday morning news conference, Police Capt. Paco Balderrama announced Edwards contacted a woman known to be an escort for sex and alerted her to a vice sting that was taking place that weekend.

"This sensitive law enforcement information was intended to assist the person in avoiding arrest and permitting criminal conduct to continue," said Balderrama.

Police confirm the identity of the woman who had contact with Edwards is Kiana Mongi, 21, who jail records show is originally from Kelsey, Calif. She was booked in on a complaint of engaging in acts of prostitution and using access to computers. She is currently being held on a $2,500 bond.

News 9 checked and Edwards was booked into the Oklahoma County Jail just after 3 a.m. Saturday. He was released three hours later after his family posted a $50,000 bond.

"The evidence shows that Edwards was attempting to arrange a prostitution meeting with [Mongi] where sex would be exchanged for money," said Balderrama.

News 9 has learned Edwards' family has hired well known Oklahoma City Defense attorney Tony Coleman to represent him, but so far neither Coleman nor Edwards is commenting on his arrest. And Edwards is yet to be formally charged.

Police say Edwards was arrested on complaints of conspiracy to commit a felony, using a computer to violate a state statute, obstruction of justice and aiding in prostitution. Police say Edwards not only contacted Mongi for sex, but alerted her to a vice sting that was taking place that weekend.

Right now, it is known that the OCPD, the FBI, and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics Human Trafficking Division were all part of that nationwide sting operation that was taking place over the weekend to try to recover minors caught up in the world of human trafficking.

It is called "Operation Cross Country" and according to the FBI, it is part of the department's Innocence Lost Initiative which began in 2003. The FBI plans on releasing the local results of the operation at a news conference set for Tuesday, Oct. 18.