By Patti Weaver
Editor’s note: The verbiage of the victim impact statement has been edited (ie: changed to – they, their, them, “my/our child”, etc) to protect the child’s gender.
STILLWATER — A 71-year-old man, once regarded as a prominent community leader, was sentenced Tuesday to 20 years in prison followed by five years of probation for sexually abusing a young relative, who was visiting his rural Cushing home from another state during the summer of 2023.Richard Ferris Thackray III, a retired air traffic controller who moved to Stillwater after he was charged in 2024, was jailed Tuesday on the order of Associate District Judge Michael Kulling after he imposed the sentence that the victim’s mother had sought, court records show. He had been free on $15,000 cash bail.Thackray had pleaded guilty to child sexual abuse without an agreement with the prosecution regarding his penalty, which could have been as much as life in prison.The child “disclosed that they do not know how many times Richard Ferris Thackray III has sexually abused them because they do not like to think about it,” Payne County Sheriff’s Investigator Lew Kellison wrote in an affidavit.The child said, “Richard Ferris Thackray III had told them to ‘do things’ since they were as young as 7-years-old and too young to know what they were doing or about ‘private parts,” the affidavit said.The child said, “they would listen to what Richard Ferris Thackray III told them to do because he was a family member,” the affidavit said.One instance occurred late at night when the child and the defendant were watching television in the summer of 2023, the affidavit said.Another instance occurred that summer in which “Richard Ferris Thackray III told them not to tell anybody because he would get in trouble with the police,” the affidavit said.In a victim impact statement contained in a pre-sentencing report, the child’s mother described to the judge how her child “has been changed forever by the years of psychological manipulation and sexual abuse by (their relative), Richard Ferris Thackray III.“The physical and emotional trauma has profoundly impacted my (child’s) emotional well-being and (their) relationships with those (they) once trusted most.“From (their) memory, the sexual attention by Richard Thackray III began with inappropriate ‘massaging’ after baths on our family visits to Richard Thackray III’s home when (they were) just 7 years old (summer 2021). It quickly progressed…(My child) described to me several occasions of molestation that occurred over the three years up until (their) reporting.“These egregious acts of abuse, along with verbal sexual harassment, occurred over and over on our bi-annual visits to Cushing, Oklahoma, …and ended when (they) courageously came forward on July 20, 2024.“Richard Thackray III is a manipulative and calculating man. He groomed not just my (child), but our entire family, creating an environment where his behavior with (my child and another child) could continue undetected. To outsiders, he appears ordinary, even admirable, with his numerous volunteer jobs, attendance at church and other religious activities, and commitment to community leadership, serving the town.“The ability to compartmentalize and hide his true nature makes him particularly dangerous to society. If he were willing and able to manipulate our family so thoroughly, there is every reason to believe he poses an ongoing threat to other families and children in the community, especially the children in the nearby schools and parks near his house in Stillwater, Oklahoma.“He is apologetic now, seeking treatment, only after a child came forward and exposed his appalling behavior. He was not worried when the secret was his to control.“Ever since (they) came forward, I have seen my (child) carry a heavy emotional load. (My child) struggles with insomnia nightly and no longer enjoys sleeping in (their) bed alone, let alone sleep-away summer camp or slumber parties at friends’ apartments due to the impending dread of lying in bed at night alone with (their) thoughts.“And although we repeatedly assure (our child) the blame lies solely on Richard Thackray III, (they carry) a deep sense of guilt for not reporting the abuse earlier and thereby perhaps preventing more harm — a weight no child should ever have to bear.“(My child) is torn between the love (they) once had for him and the devastating reality of his betrayal, whose actions have completely broken our family apart.“On top of all this, a significant and constant anxiety has taken up residence in (their) mind and body. It manifests in various ways, including an upset stomach, difficulty breathing deeply, a racing heart, an inability to relax, and an increased sense of alertness and questioning.“The world, which once felt relatively safe, has become filled with worries and fears. This anxiety goes beyond (their) immediate surroundings, affecting (their) self-image and (their) trust in others. (My child) is a careful, kind, deeply feeling (child).“(My child) entered middle school in September 2024, at a new building with new students and teachers. When (they) should have been participating in after-school activities and building friendships, (they) began psychotherapy once a week. (My child) was moved to twice weekly to work through the mounting anxiety and emotional aftermath.“As parents, (we) have also required individual therapy to process our own trauma and learn how best to support our (child) through this difficult time. (Their) therapist has emphasized that consistent treatment is essential for (them) to rebuild (their) self-trust and safety, which means that for the foreseeable future, my (child’s) schedule will continue to revolve around addressing trauma, rather than simply enjoying (their) childhood.“My (child) deserves justice, and deserves to know that the person who hurt (them) cannot hurt (their) little sister, little cousin or other children while (my child) grows up and heals. We are all working hard to rebuild what was broken, but we cannot do that while living in fear that he remains free to harm others.”Addressing the judge, the victim’s mother wrote, “I trust in your expertise to impose a sentence that reflects not only the severity of his crimes, but also the lasting damage he has caused to at least two innocent children and the family who loves them.”
