By John Dobberstein, Editor
The director of a Tulsa County agency charged with keeping citizens safe was arrested Thursday on a child pornography charge, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Department said.
Around 6 a.m., deputies executed a search warrant and arrested Joseph Clayton Kralicek, director of Tulsa Area Emergency Management Agency – an organization that conducts emergency management operations for about 1 million people during disasters and other emergency incidents.
Kralicek was booked a single charge of possessing child pornography, said Tulsa County Sheriff Vic Regalado. The investigation began after a single image was submitted to the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC).
The sheriff’s Child Predator Unit worked the case with assistance of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and other agencies. Regalado said during the probe, numerous images and videos consistent with violation of state law found were found on social media accounts and were linked to Kralicek through an IP address.
Video emerged on social media Thursday of the arrest. “He was shocked,” one investigator said. “They try to downplay anything on arrests like this. He decided to request an attorney.”
Kralicek’s bond was set by a magistrate at $50,000. Regalado said the investigation is continuing and it’s possible there could be additional suspects or charges.
“Child sexual abuse is widespread and on the rise and it has devastating effects on children. We will continue to be vigilant in identifying and apprehending these offenders,” Regalado said.
Kralicek has worked with TAEMA for 11 years. The City of Tulsa and Tulsa County Commission both issued statements Thursday.
“These allegations are serious and deeply disturbing. We are still gathering information and will fully cooperate with law enforcement and our partners at Tulsa County as the investigation proceeds,” the city of Tulsa said.
“At the same time, we are committed to working with our partners at Tulsa County to ensure TAEMA is staffed and leadership is in place to run the agency. At this time, Tulsa remains fully prepared to respond to any emergencies that may arise. “
“We understand that today’s news is concerning and may raise many questions,” said Ethan Hutchins, a spokesperson for the Tulsa County Commission. “While the criminal justice process moves forward, Tulsa County remains focused on transparency, accountability, and upholding the public’s trust. We ask for the public’s understanding as we allow the legal process to take its course and continue to support the integrity of our organization and the communities we serve.”
Regalado said child sexual abuse activity continues to be a growing problem, and the CPU unit the department formed can barely keep up with the demand for investigations. The unit receives numerous tips monthly and each is evaluated and prioritized by those that can be worked immediately vs those that might take more time to investigate.
He estimates the unit gets 300 to 400 tips per month, “but we don’t have the resources to aggressively go after each one of them. He said predators “live, eat and sleep among us” and it’s not easy for investigators to identify which type of suspect pool to focus on.
“Unfortunately, we can’t keep up with the rate that these things are happening,” Regalado said. “This was a single image that came in and investigated … and it turned into an arrest of a county official, unfortunately.
“These individuals come from all walks of life and that’s why it’s imperative to have all the partnerships in the community. If you see something, hear something, or know something, you have to report it. “
Tulsa County District Attorney Steven Kunzweiler said it will be up to the state of Oklahoma to prove its case in the courtroom and prosecutors would not be sharing more details about the ongoing investigation.
“If we want true justice, evidence must come forward in the courtroom and he enjoys the presumption of innocence until judge or jury says otherwise,” Kunzweiler said.
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