Adair County man sentenced to life in prison for sexual abuse

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that an Adair County man was sentenced to two life terms for aggravated sexual abuse in Indian Country.

Charges against Jerry Wayne Asbill, 42, arose after a probe by the Adair County Sheriff's Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On May 10, 2023, a federal jury convicted Asbill of two counts of aggravated sexual abuse. According to reports, there was evidence during his trial that Asbill sexually assaulted a child he knew under the age of 12 in November 2018.

“Mr. Asbill’s crimes were abhorrent and morally reprehensible,” said acting Special Agent in charge Jason Kaplan of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. “Thanks to the bravery of the victim who came forward, and the tenacity of the investigators and the prosecution team, we were able to achieve some measure of justice in this case. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will never waver in our commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of our population – our children.”

Honorable Judge Kea W. Riggs presided over the hearing and Asbill was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Morgan Muzljakovich and Nicole Paladino prosecuted the case.