Jury Delivers Mixed Verdict In Sexting Trial Of Former Tulsa Soccer Coach

A former Tulsa Soccer Club coach accused of sexting a 14-year-old girl had his verdict split Thursday; 3 guilty verdicts and 2 not guilty.

2/28/2018 Related Story: Former Tulsa Youth Soccer Coach Takes Stand In Sexting Case

After deliberating for about five and a half hours, the jury found Blake Lewis guilty of three counts of solicitation of a minor, and not guilty of two counts of lewd or indecent proposal to a child.

"I'm a little surprised. But I respect the jury's decision," said Assistant DA Tera Britt. 

The jury recommended 40 days for each guilty count, which the judge says Blake Lewis will serve back-to-back.

He'll also have to register as a sex offender for life.

"That's also important. At least the community now is put on notice," said Britt. 

Lewis's main defense was entrapment, which applied specifically to the count that addressed Lewis inviting the girl the meet secretly.

Lewis's attorney argued the undercover officer who posed as the 14-year-old girl suggested a more secluded meeting spot than he did.

Prosecutors said Lewis waited until he knew the girl's mom was out of town and asked her to meet him in his car in front of an apartment complex.

"We felt that this was not an entrapment situation. Everything that Mr. Lewis did, he did on his own volition. Nobody made him do it, nobody had to talk him into it," Britt said. 

Lewis admitted on the stand to sending inappropriate messages to the girl, including pictures of himself in his underwear, and asking her to do the same.

Lewis's attorney did not comment after the verdict.