By Mike McCormick Staff Writer A Lincoln County jury has found a former Wellston substitute teacher guilty on two counts and not guilty on three and fixed punishment at three years on each of the guilty counts.
Formal charges were filed in Lincoln County District Court on April 12, 2023 against Emma Delaney Hancock, 26 at the time. The charges were filed following an investigation by Lincoln County officers and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
The jury deliberated for just under two hours before returning with its verdict.
Associate District Judge Sheila Kirk, who presided over the trial, scheduled sentencing for 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 18 and she ordered a pre-sentence investigation.
Judge Kirk remanded Hancock to the Sheriff’s Office. The jury convicted Hancock of two counts of soliciting sexual conduct or communication with a minor by use of Technology.
She was acquitted of two counts of lewd or indecent acts to a child under 16 and one count of soliciting sexual conduct or communication with a minor by use of Technology.
Assistant District Attorneys Kelly Trimble and Rachel Thompson prosecuted the case for the state and Hancock’s defense attorneys were Billy Coyle and Amber Leal.
Trimble commented afterwards, “We are thankful that a person in a position of authority who preyed on a minor is being held accountable.
Hancock was originally charged with the two counts of soliciting sexual conduct or communication with a minor by use of Technology and two counts of lewd or indecent acts to a child under 16.
She was bound over Oct. 12, 2023 to stand trial and on Oct. 24, 2023 the District Attorney’s Office filed amended information to include an additional count of soliciting sexual conduct or communication with minor by use of Technology.
Wellston School Supt. Mike Franz said last year, “When we became aware of the allegations, this subject was removed from our call list and not allowed back on campus.
“Since then, we have cooperated with local, county and OSBI officers on their investigation,” Franz added.
In Count 1, Hancock was accused on or about or between Oct. 6, 2022 and Nov. 8, 2022 of committing the crime of Engaging in Sexual Communication by use of Technology with a minor by sending sexual messages and sexual photographs to a 15-year-old through an electronic device in Lincoln County.
Count 2 charged her during the same time frame of committing the crime of Engaging in Sexual Communication by use of Technology with a minor by showing videos of herself kissing with an unidentified female and simulating oral sex on a fake penis to two other minors, one who was 15-years old at the time and another who was 13 years old at the time through an electronic device at Wellston High School in Lincoln County.
Count 3, of which she was acquitted, Hancock was accused on or about Oct. 31, 2022 of committing the crime of lewd or indecent acts to a child by kissing and inserting her tongue in the mouth of a 15-year-old at the time at Wellston High School in Lincoln County. That 15-year-old is the same she was accused of committing a crime on in Count 1.
Count 4, of which she was acquitted, charged her with on Nov. 3, 2022 of committing the crime of indecent or lewd acts with a child by rubbing the genital area and/or kissing and inserting her tongue in the mouth of that 15-year-old at the time at Wellston High School in Lincoln County. That minor was the same one she was accused of committing the crimes on in Counts 1 and 3.
In an affidavit prepared by the OSBI in the case it states that Lincoln County Sheriff’s Capt. Larry Stover requested the OSBI’s investigative assistance with allegations that Hancock was sending naked pictures and videos to a 15-year-old Wellston High School student.
The affidavit further states that on Nov. 8, 2022, OSBI Lt. Kevin Garrett interviewed the 15-year-old male to further the investigation.
The affidavit describes the sharing of nude photos between Hancock and the 15-year-old and also their making out several times during the time period the alleged crimes occurred.