Oklahoma Republican to plead guilty to child sex trafficking

A former Oklahoma state senator plans to plead guilty Nov. 30 to one count of child sex trafficking. Ralph Shortey’s attorney, Ed Blau, told The Oklahoman Friday that Shortey, a Republican, will admit to offering a 17-year-old boy money for sex in exchange for prosecutors dropping three other counts of possessing child pornography. Shortey, 35, resigned from his seat in the Oklahoma Senate in March, two weeks after police found him in a hotel room with the teen. Child sex trafficking carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison. By making the deal, Shortey hopes he won’t receive a life sentence. Blau said his client, who has a wife and four children, just wants to put the painful and humiliating ordeal behind him. Shortey was an early supporter of President Donald Trump’s campaign, which named him part of its Oklahoma leadership team. He was first elected in 2010 and ran on a conservative platform. He’ll receive his sentencing at a hearing early next year.