Authorities Searching for Man Suspected of Child Assault - KTUL.com - Tulsa, Oklahoma - News, Weather & Sports

Creek County authorities are searching for a man they believe may have sexually assaulted a young girl in April.

27-year-old Patrick Edward Misner is suspected of breaking into a Sapulpa-area mobile home on April 6th and assaulting a 4-year-old girl who lived there with her mother and the mother's boyfriend.

Creek County Undersheriff John Davis told KTUL.com Saturday that the mother's boyfriend, 25-year-old Tommy Joe Braden, was originally arrested for the crime but was released from the Creek County Jail on July 3rd.

DNA evidence released on July 9th prompted the search for Misner.

A warrant was issued on July 10th for Misner's arrest for first-degree rape of a victim under 14 years of age, lewd molestation, and first-degree burglary.

Mr. Davis said that Misner was released from the Oklahoma Department of Corrections in early March in connection with assault with a dangerous weapon involving an automobile and eluding a police officer in the Skiatook area.

Davis confirmed that Misner used to live in the same mobile home park as the girl but is now believed to be somewhere in Oregon or Washington.

Mr. Davis told KTUL.com that Misner may be on foot, hitchhiking and frequenting truck stops in Oregon.

Misner was arrested by the Gresham Police Department in Oregon on July 7th, three days before the Creek County arrest warrant was issued, and was in the Multnomah County Jail on a misdemeanor complaint of possessing a forged instrument.

Davis said Misner was in custody less than two hours and was released in the early morning hours of July 8th.

The Creek County Sheriff's Office has notified law enforcement agencies in Oregon and Washington, as well as entering Misner's information into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database.

Anyone with information on Misner's whereabouts is encouraged to call the Creek County Sheriff's Office at 918-224-4964, the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office at 503-988-4300, or their local authorities.