CV NEWS FEED // Some child sex offenders imprisoned in Oklahoma may soon have to undergo chemical castration if they want to be eligible for parole.
House Bill 2422 passed the Oklahoma House March 10. The legislation is now in the state Senate. Rep. Scott Fetgatter, R-Okmulgee, introduced the bill to follow through with a promise he made to the families whose loved ones were murdered in 2023 by Jesse McFadden, a convicted rapist who served 16 years in prison, according to a March 11 article on the Oklahoma House website.
“A known sex offender in my district was let out of prison even after he was accused of committing additional sex crimes while incarcerated,” Fetgatter said in the article. “He murdered his wife, her children and several of the children’s friends before he could be tried on those new crimes. This should never have been allowed.
“I have promised the families of these victims that as long as I’m in this building, I will fight for stricter laws against such offenders to better protect our kids. While I know this bill doesn’t fix all issues dealing with sexual predators, it’s a step in the right direction.”
HB2422 applies to people over 21 years old who have committed a sex crime against a minor under 13 years old, according to the article. If they want to be released on parole, offenders must undergo a mental health evaluation regarding whether it is likely they would commit related offenses if released on parole.
According to the bill, which would take effect in November, if the mental health evaluation determines that the chemical castration would inhibit the likelihood of future offenses, the sex offender may be eligible to choose to undergo the hormonal treatment as a part of the parole requirements.
To stay eligible for parole, the offender must continue treatment and cannot reverse the treatment, the bill states. If the offender commits another offense, they face prison for life without possibility of parole. Parole officers would test offenders to confirm compliance.
In Oklahoma, people who apply for parole must be at least 60 years old and have served either one-third of their sentence or at least 10 years in prison, whichever is shorter.
According to the Oklahoman, Fetgatter authored a bill in 2024 called Knights Law to try to require criminals convicted of certain sex crimes to serve their entire sentence. Knights Law passed the House but died in the Senate Judiciary Committee stage.