Press staff reports
Cherokee County prosecutors charged a local teenager Friday as a youthful offender with two felony offenses.
Daniel Tyler Garrett Walters, 16, was charged with first-degree rape and knowingly concealing stolen property. Authorities allege Walters raped a female while she was unconscious. The victim is identified in court documents by her initials to protect her identity.
The concealing stolen property count alleges Walters took a can of Air Duster into a janitor’s closet at Cherokee Elementary and inhaled it.
Both the rape and concealing stolen property counts allegedly occurred Aug. 6.
The filing of the charges against Walters as a youthful offender allows his attorney to seek to have him “reverse certified” where he would face the charges as a juvenile.
The reverse certification request has to be made before a preliminary hearing is held.
Tahlequah police are listed as state witnesses along with the victim.
Assistant District Attorney B.J. Baker is prosecuting the case.
