A Stroud man who entered a no contest blind plea to three felonies and pleaded guilty to two others, all of which were related to crimes with minors, has been sentenced to three life terms in prison.
Shamus Patrick Palermo, 49 at the time, was formally charged in Lincoln County District Court on July 17, 2023 with two counts of first degree rape and one count of soliciting sexual conduct or communication with a minor by use of technology. He entered a no contest blind plea to those charges.
District Judge John Canavan sentenced Palermo to life in prison on each of the first degree rape charges, assessed $100 fines on each of the rape charges along with a $100 VCA on each of them and court costs.
The judge sentenced Palermo to 10 years in the Department of Corrections on the one count of soliciting sexual conduct or communication with a minor by use of technology, along with a $100 fine, a $100 VCA and court costs.
The court requested Palermo complete a sex offender treatment program while in the Department of Corrections.
Judge Canavan sentenced Palermo to 20 years in the Department of Corrections on the charge possession of child pornography, and $100 fine and $100 VCA and court costs.
On the one count of aggravated possession of child pornography, Judge Canavan sentenced Palermo to life in prison, assessed him a $100 fine and $100 VCA along with court costs.
Assistant District Attorney Kelly Trimble, who prosecuted the case, issued a statement following the sentencing.
“On behalf of the State of Oklahoma, we are incredibly pleased with the sentence handed down in this case. The defendant’s actions in this case showed how dangerous he was to children and to the community, and we are thankful that justice was served and that victims can begin the healing process.
The formal charge of aggravated possession of child pornography was filed March 15, 2024 in Lincoln County District Court against Palermo. A $10,000 bench warrant initially was issued for his arrest.
One of the counts against Palermo accused him on July 7, 2023, of possessing 100 or more separate materials depicting child pornography by possessing images on his computer, specifically an Acer Aspire.
In a probable cause affidavit, Stroud Police Officer Wade Martin stated he secured search warrants signed by a judge authorizing the search of two computers and a cell phone located in Palermo’s apartment related to the previous case where he faces multiple counts.
Martin reported that on March 1, 2024 Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Criminalist Bryce Phillips advised the seized computers had been forensically downloaded.
Martin noted in the affidavit that in examining the evidence, there were 634 attachments that contained child sexual abuse material and out of 634 files, 294 were photos of two victims including photos that were found on Palermo’s cell phone.
He pleaded guilty to that charge.
He was formally charged Sep. 22, 2023 in Lincoln County District Court with possession of child pornography.
He pleaded guilty to that count.
Judge Kirk set his bond at that time at $100,000 with the stipulation that he have no contact with the victim as a condition of the bond.
In the first pornography count, Palermo was accused on July 7, 2023 of possessing child pornography on his cell phone by possessing images of a child under 18 involving the lewd exhibition of the uncovered breasts and genitals of a female minor where the lewd exhibition was for the purpose of sexual stimulation to the viewer.
In a probable cause affidavit, it was stated that on July 7, 2023, Stroud Police Chief Clint Gaylord and Capt. Jimmie Ahrend, after securing a search warrant from Special Judge Emily Mueller, met with Palermo where he is employed and advised him of the warrant and then the need to take him to his apartment and unlock the door so a search could be conducted.
The search warrant was conducted and a few minutes later Palermo was arrested by Gaylord and transported to the Lincoln County Jail in Chandler by Officer Jonathan Kelley.