The Woodward News

Local News

October 15, 2009

More charges against Freerksens

A Woodward couple have been charged with operating “a lewd, obscene and indecent house.”

This makes the third time in four months that Dean Leroy Freerksen III and Alicia Danielle Freerksen have been charged in connection with illicit interactions with minors.

The couple were charged with felonies in July in connection with the alleged rape of a 15-year-old girl and charged with felonies again in September in connection with the alleged rape of an 11-year-old girl.

The most recent misdemeanor charge of keeping an “indecent house” was filed in Woodward County District Court on Wednesday. At that time, the Freerksens were also charged with misdemeanors for furnishing low-point beer to a person under 21.

These charges came after Woodward Police detectives presented the Woodward County District Attorney’s office with information regarding an alleged incident that occurred between the couple and a 17-year-old girl in July.

The Freerksens allegedly gave the 17-year-old a beer when she was visiting another minor at their home on July 2, 2009, according to an affidavit filed with the charges. The couple also allegedly allowed the girl to participate in drinking games, the affidavit states.

Then the girl was allegedly “sent into the closet with Dean and Alicia,” where the couple then allegedly engaged in sexual acts with the girl, according to the affidavit.

Later Wednesday additional charges were filed against the couple and listed on the On Demand Court Records website (www.odcr.com).

Dean Freerksen III was charged with felony counts for second degree rape, furnishing alcoholic beverage to persons under 21 years, and lewd or indecent proposals or acts to child under 16.

Alicia Freerksen was charged with felonies for furnishing alcoholic beverage to persons under 21 years, first degree rape and three counts of lewd or indecent proposals or acts to child under 16.

Additional information about these charges was unavailable late Wednesday.

The couple remain incarcerated in Woodward County Jail, where they have been since being charged in September.

Currently they are not slated to appear in court until December.

However, Alfalfa County Assistant District Attorney Westline Ritter, who handles many of the sex crime cases throughout District 26, said she isn’t sure if any of the cases against the Freerksens will go to preliminary hearing because of a motion that has been filed in connection with the July case.

The Freerksens’ attorney David Christian has filed a “motion to stay proceedings and/or dismiss due to the inability of the district court to provide the defendant with the due process required . . ..”

In the motion, which was filed last month, Christian claims that the judge in the case has a “pecuniary interest” in the case, which he claims would make one “question the fundamental fairness of a bind-over for trial and/or a conviction” of the Freerksens.

Ritter said she will be in Woodward today “to visit with David Christian” about the motion and discuss setting a date for a hearing on the motion.

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