OKC Ministry Sues After Law Forces Sex Offenders To Streets

The owner of a sex offender compound in south Oklahoma City sues after being forced to turn sex offenders back to the streets.

Tuesday, October 8th 2013, 10:31 pm

By: News 9


The owner of a sex offender compound in south Oklahoma City sues after being forced to turn sex offenders back to the streets.

The owner believes a state law, just over a year old is unconstitutional as it relates to sex offenders in Oklahoma.

7/18/2012 Related Story: Ministry: City Forcing Nearly 40 Sex Offenders To Streets

News 9's been following the story for nearly two years now. Tuesday at the Oklahoma County courthouse, the legal team for David Nichols of Hand-Up Ministries asked for an injunction to stop enforcement of the law.

9/10/2012 Related Story: Organization To Challenge Oklahoma Law Regulating Sex Offender Housing

The new law forbids two sex offenders from living together.

"I think we put out over a hundred in one day," Nichols said.

Nichols, owner of the controversial sex offender compound, struggles daily to keep its gates open. In Nichols' 17-year history, he says he's helped more than 4,000 men get back on track.

"Our system now a days tries to make a lot of people feel like they don't have a lot of worth, so it's harder to rehabilitate, harder to get people back on the right track," Nichols said.

But, new legislation passed a little more than a year ago is close to forcing Nichols to close Hand-Up Ministries for good. Right now about 150 men live there.

A sign is clearly posted outside the gate, "No women or children allowed past this point."

"I don't know if it's just the money, or just ignorance," said Nichols. "Everybody's got worth."

Listed on the lawsuit as defendants filed Tuesday afternoon is the city of Oklahoma City, the chief of the OKC police department, the DA and the state Attorney General's office, as well as the Oklahoma County sheriff.

Nichols says the law is forcing offenders out onto the streets.

"I'm tired of them making our communities unsafe," Nichols said.

The author of the law, who wrote the legislation at the request of the Oklahoma City Police Department argues sex offenders who live together, are more likely to reoffend. David Nichols disagrees.

A hearing on a temporary restraining order to prevent enforcement of the law has yet to be set.

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