Marlow Man Convicted Of Using Craigslist To Prey On A Young Boy

A Marlow man convicted of using Craigslist to prey on a young autistic boy is out of jail, despite allegations he violated his probation.

Teddy Dean Davis, 30, spent just over a year in prison for molesting the 6-year-old boy in 2011. Davis admitted to Cleveland County authorities that he responded to a sex ad on Craigslist, which led to an invitation to Jonathan Smith's home in Moore.

Once there, Davis stated, the two men carried out a sex crime against an autistic child who was sleeping. Davis pleaded guilty to fondling the boy, while Smith watched and touched himself.

While Smith got seven years behind bars, Davis was sentenced to just two years in prison and 8 years on probation. He was released after 18 months.

"The red flags were everywhere on Teddy," said Brian Bates of JOHNTV.COM.

Bates, who tracks sex crimes across the state, says he's been concerned about Davis's punishment since he was first sentenced in 2012. He became even more concerned this February, when, just after Davis was released, it was discovered Davis had failed to register as sex offender.

"I really think the public deserves some answers why this person was put back out on our streets," said Bates.

Cleveland County Prosecutors say they agreed to give Davis a lesser sentence, with strict terms of probation, in order to secure a conviction -- with harsher punishment -- for Smith, who facilitated the sex crime.

But Bates says the strategy has backfired.

Court documents obtained by News 9 show Davis is alleged to have violated his probation in a number of ways since his release three months ago: by smoking marijuana, storing pornography on his phone, exchanging pornographic images in chat rooms, and using prohibited internet sites such as Craigslist, where he gained access to his original victim..

"He was only back out on our streets for a few weeks before apparently he had re-offended," exclaimed Bates. "This is someone who needs to be locked up and needs to be locked up now."

Davis was arrested for violating probation, but the court set his bond at $10,000, and he is at least temporarily back on the streets again.

Brian Bates feels this is a recipe for disaster.

"He knows he's now facing very serious prison time," said Bates, with urgency in his voice. "If he wants the opportunity to attack another child, he's going to do it now."

Davis's next court date is June 18. Prosecutors say they plan to ask the judge to revoke his suspended sentence and send him back to prison for 8 years.