KESHENA, WI (WTAQ) – A Menominee Tribal Highway Safet officer has been fired over alleged inappropriate contact with a 15-year-old girl.
Menominee Tribal Chairman Gary Besaw said 39-year-old Basil Okimosh Jr. was fired Thursday after he was arrested as a result of an undercover sting operation.
Besaw said “This was a multi-jurisdiction effort.”
Tribal leaders say the teen’s mother came forward Sunday, claiming her daughter received inappropriate social media messages from Basil Okimosh Jr.
Chairman Besaw sad the messages were being received both by Snapchat and Facebook.
“It is still under investigation, but from what he have heard, the contact was just messaging.”
Besaw said he was glad the information was reported.
“Tribal Government admires the courage of the mother and the victim for coming forward with the information, and we are pleased with how quickly and swiftly our Tribal Police Department investigated.”
Tribal Chairman Gary Besaw says Okimosh worked for the department from 2010-2016, and resigned citing differences with his supervisor.
Okimosh was then rehired this July after passing an updated background check and psychological exam.
“The first thing that goes through your mind is the safety of the victim, but as we heard the report that police were acting swiftly, then what goes through your mind is that the Tribal Police are here to protect us.”
“We remind all parents to take the oppertunity to speak with their kids and monitor their kids.”
Three federal charges were filed against O’Kimosh late Friday afternoon. The charges are for attempted sexual exploitation of a child, attempted transfer of obscene material to a child, and attempted enticement of a minor. It is believed that the charges will be related to attempted child inticement and attempted sending obscene materials.
According to the complaint, the girl said she was contacted by Okimosh on Facebook at first and communications continued frequently on Snapchat while the officer worked the overnight shift.
Okimosh admitted to sending sexual pictures, and admitted to continuing conversations even after finding out the girl was 15, but denied he had any intent to have the girl perform sexual acts on her.
Tribal leaders say the investigation is ongoing.
