PRYOR, Okla. (KOKH) — An Oklahoma couple who authorities said fled to Montana to avoid prosecution has been convicted by a federal jury of sexually abusing a 15-year-old.
A federal jury unanimously found Larry Keith Tennison, 67, and Gretchen Francie Tennison, 48, guilty of sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the victim told a family member in 2019 that the Tennisons would get her drunk and sexually abuse her. The family met with the Mayes County Sheriff’s Office to report the abuse.
Deputies served a search warrant at the Tennisons’ home in September 2020.
The couple was charged with child sexual abuse in state court, then quickly sold some of their possessions and moved to Montana, according to the information presented at trial.
More than five years later, law enforcement received a tip that the couple had been spotted in Columbus, Montana, using the aliases “Fran Smith” and “Keith Smith.”
Deputies with the Stillwater County Sheriff’s Office confirmed they were Larry and Gretchen Tennison, and FBI agents arrested them.
At trial, the victim testified that she was groomed by the Tennisons and described items they bought her. She said they eventually began offering her grape- or apple-flavored alcohol when she was 15. She testified that she drank to the point of stumbling or throwing up.
She also testified that she was the only person invited by the Tennisons to celebrate Larry Tennison’s 60th birthday, and she described in detail how both Larry and Gretchen Tennison sexually abused her.
Jurors also heard Larry Tennison’s interview with FBI agents after his arrest.
He described quickly selling their property and planning to drive to Florida to buy a boat to live on, but said tropical storms hit. He described dumping their cellphones and living in their van in the desert and in various parks before eventually going to Montana. He told agents that once there, they came up with alias names, and he began working as a handyman.
Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
