Tulsa Police arrest man for allegedly raping teen after threatening her with knife

TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa Police (TPD) arrested a man for allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl after threatening her with a knife while driving drunk, according to an affidavit.

On March 27, police claim the victim was sitting at a crosswalk while walking toward a gas station in east Tulsa. The affidavit says the suspect, later identified as Yander Ramirez, passed her in his vehicle and reportedly yelled something at her.

According to the affidavit, shortly after, the victim was walking by a parking lot and Ramirez spoke to her from inside his vehicle again, but this time he showed her a knife and told her to come to the vehicle. The victim got into the vehicle and later told police that Ramirez was drunk and driving in circles, according to the affidavit.

Ramirez allegedly drove around to a couple of places before taking the victim to a park. Police say Ramirez made the victim smoke something from a vaping device before giving her a beer.

While at the park, police claim Ramirez raped the victim and allegedly filmed the act.

After the rape, Ramirez allegedly told the victim to meet him at the park the next day or ‘he would hunt her down’.

As Ramirez was driving near the victim’s house, he stopped at a stop sign and the victim took off running from the vehicle while carrying her clothes, according to the affidavit.

The victim dropped her clothes while she was running and knocked on several doors until someone answered, gave her clothes, and called the police.

“She reported as he was driving away from there at a stop sign, she jumped out of that car, still only half-clothed, ran to a neighbor’s residence. That neighbor helped her got her some clothing, called the police and then the special victims unit took over that investigation from there,” said Lt. Darin Ehrenrich, Tulsa Police Special Victims Unit.

TPD arrived at the house shortly after and the victim was taken to a hospital where a sexual assault medical forensic examination was done.

After speaking with the victim the next day, TPD got a video from a neighboring business of the gas station that reportedly showed Ramirez walking in to buy beer. The video later showed Ramirez speaking with the victim before she is seen getting into the vehicle.

TPD also got a video from another gas station that Ramirez stopped at while the victim was in the vehicle, which showed him going into the store and buying condoms.

The Real Time Information Center helped TPD find video from a business at the park where the alleged rape happened. The video showed a vehicle that appeared to be the suspect’s vehicle arriving and leaving from the same spot the victim told TPD prior.

“In situations like this, he had stopped at places that had excellent surveillance. We had very good pictures of him, very good pictures of his vehicle. We were able to ultimately identify him within a matter of a day or two,” Ehrenrich said.

Ramirez was interviewed on April 15 and told TPD that he had a court date for one of his DUI charges on the morning of March 27.

He denied picking anyone up during that time and was asked if he offered the victim a ride to which he said he had been drinking and couldn’t remember.

After the interview, the suspect’s attorney was served with search warrants for Ramirez’s vehicle, a DNA swab, and his phone.

During the investigation, it was discovered that Ramirez was involved in a prior rape investigation in 2019, but no charges were filed.

“These offenders are out there and we’re doing everything we can to investigate every one of these cases diligently and as deeply as we can. What I can say is again these offenders are out there, be aware of your surroundings,” Ehrenrich said.

Ramirez is currently in court on two separate DUI cases and he also pled guilty to transporting an opened container of beer in 2021.

Ramirez was later arrested and booked in Tulsa County jail for first-degree rape, forcible sodomy, lewd molestation, obstructing an officer, and driving under the influence.

“If you are a victim of sexual assault or a survivor of sexual assault, please make a report, please get a sexual assault exam. That’s what helps us get these offenders off the street. If a report isn’t made and we don’t know about it, then there’s nothing we can do to help you,” Ehrenrich said.