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Oklahoma City Police station (KFOR).
An Oklahoma couple is accused of coercing a 14-year-old girl to act as a surrogate mother, forcing her to conceive the man’s twins since his girlfriend was unable to have children. The pair reportedly fled the state following this crime.
Authorities apprehended Nathan Potier and Erica Palmer, both aged 36, in Nevada earlier this week. Officials revealed that Potier faces charges of child sexual assault, while Palmer is accused of facilitating the sexual abuse of a minor.
The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office released a statement indicating that the arrests were carried out on Tuesday by the United States Marshals Nevada Violent Offender Task Force in Sparks, Nevada.
The arrests were the result of a thorough investigation by the Regional Sex Offender Notification Unit. This multi-agency body is tasked with monitoring and investigating sex offenders across jurisdictions.
Investigators discovered that the couple had been hiding in the Reno-Sparks area of Nevada. After tracking various leads, they were able to pinpoint the duo’s location, leading to their capture and arrest.
Potier and Palmer were booked into the Washoe County Detention Facility and are expected to be extradited to Oklahoma County to face the aforementioned charges. Officials said the case underscores ongoing efforts to locate fugitives and prosecute them through multi-agency cooperation.
Court documents obtained by Oklahoma City NBC affiliate KFOR provided details regarding the allegations that led to the charges.
According to authorities, the investigation into Potier and Palmer began in December 2025, after a caseworker with Oklahoma Child Protective Services sent in a referral indicating that a 14-year-old girl was pregnant with twins.
Authorities allege the pregnancy was the result of abuse involving the couple, and Potier is believed to be the father of the twins.
In an interview with police prior to the arrest warrants being issued, Palmer allegedly said she wanted to have children with Potier but was unable to do because she had undergone tubal ligation, colloquially known as having her tubes tied.
Authorities allege the couple targeted the teenage victim.
Investigators then obtained a search warrant and planned to collect Potier’s DNA during a medical appointment to determine whether he was the father of the victim’s twins. However, the duo fled the state before that could occur.
Court documents also reference earlier California reports alleging Potier sexually abused the same teen and that Palmer was aware of those allegations.
The teen is now in foster care, KFOR reported.
Both defendants remained in the Washoe County Detention Facility as of Friday afternoon. Palmer was being held on $200,000 bond and Potier on $300,000 bond, records show.