By Jesse OlivarezA few observations. First, I've been to the Habana Inn. Please don't ask why, it's sort of difficult to explain. It's a den of iniquity, I'll say that. That's part of it's charm.
The Oklahoman
The senior pastor of a Tulsa Baptist church was arrested outside a northwest Oklahoma City hotel after allegedly propositioning an undercover officer, police said.
Lonnie Wayne Latham, 59, senior pastor at South Tulsa Baptist Church, was arrested Tuesday on a complaint of offering to engage in an act of lewdness, police Capt. Jeffrey Becker said. He was released on $500 bail Wednesday.
Officers were working in the area of NW 39 and Pennsylvania Avenue after receiving several complaints from area residents that men were flagging down passers-by and propositioning them.
About 9:45 p.m., the plainclothes officer was driving an unmarked car and investigating the complaints when a car began following the officer's car.
Both cars then pulled into a parking lot on the southeast corner of NW 39 and N Youngs Boulevard. The man driving the second car then told the undercover officer he had a hotel room at a nearby motel and asked the officer to go back to his room with him for oral sex, Becker said.
Latham was arrested a short time later in the parking lot of the Habana Inn, 2200 NW 39 Expressway. His car was impounded.
A conviction on an offering to engage in lewdness charge, if one is filed against Latham, carries a penalty of up to one year in jail and/or a $2,500 fine.
Becker said Latham was not accused of solicitation because no money was offered or exchanged.
Officials at South Tulsa Baptist Church had no comment and calls to Latham's home went unanswered late Wednesday.
As he exited the Oklahoma County jail, Latham told NEWS9 he had been set up by police.
"I was set up," he said. "I was involved in a prayer ministry in that area and had a dialogue with police. The officer made many suggestions."
Becker said the officer reported there was no discussion of prayer during the exchange. The officer said the man called himself Luke, claimed he was from Dallas, worked out of Tulsa and visited Oklahoma City once a month.
Latham is one of four executive members of the national Southern Baptist General Convention from Oklahoma. Heidi B. Wilburn, spokeswoman for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, said in a statement that the group is "deeply grieved" by Latham's arrest.
"Our first concern is for his church and family," she said. "As Christians we reach out to those who hurt; however, we fully support law enforcement in dealing with these matters. While we certainly do not condone this type of activity, we do continue to care and pray for Lonnie during this difficult time."
But, this part doesn't make sense, "men were flagging down passers-by and propositioning them." That's not really how it works, and is considered bad form. I suspect the cop just trolled some guys and made himself available to be propositioned. Then, when the inevitable happens, the poor sod gets arrested. The fact is, the ONLY reason you go to a gay resort or hotel is because you're gay, and getting propositioned goes with the territory.
But what I find really odd is that apparently, in Oklahoma, you can be arrested for asking somebody if they want to have sex. This might just be a 1st amendment issue, isn't it? Maybe the context of the proposition is what determines if it's a crime? I mean, if a guy is in a bar, and he propositions a girl he's been hitting on, is that a crime?
You see this sort of behavior from the police in very conservative areas. I suspect that most times, the arrest is made AFTER the deed is done. It's quite apparent that cops like to take out their bigotry on a minority. After all, wouldn't the cop be better serving his community by arresting people who commit robberies and so on?
This story is such a mess on so many fronts.. It's a mess because a gay man got trapped in the heterosexual "Christian" life, and felt the need to go troll for random sex.. It's a mess because the police get involved in such stupid things. It's a mess because it's even illegal in the context of where it transpired. It's a mess because some idiot did it to himself by being too weak or character to stand up for himself and be honest about who he is.
What a mess...
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