UCO Professor Arrested for Indecent Exposure

A longtime University of Central Oklahoma associate professor for computer science was charged Aug. 20 in Oklahoma County District Court with exposing himself in public.

Court records show William Franklin Stockwell, 66, faces a felony count of indecent exposure and a misdemeanor count of acts resulting in gross injury.

Jennifer Wagnon, Edmond Police Department‘s public information officer, said Stockwell’s family told Edmond PD detectives the behavior was new and erratic. The family had taken him to get medical testing, but Edmond PD does not have the results yet. 

Stockwell was first reported to Edmond PD on Aug. 1. He went to a laundromat at 317 E. 2nd St., where he is the owner operator, and asked a woman to spank him. He said in the report that “he was just asking” and “didn’t believe there was anything wrong.”

On Aug. 7, Stockwell was at the same laundromat when a woman asked for help with the washing machine. After the washing machine was fixed, the woman, who was with her 3-year-old daughter, turned to see Stockwell pulling down his pants, exposing his buttocks.

A police report stated that Stockwell said his act “was no big deal, it was just a flash.”

“After the second incident we went and interviewed him and he did admit to doing it,” Wagnon said. “So, we arrested him for indecent exposure for that incident.”

Adrienne Nobles, assistant vice president for University Communications said that Stockwell was suspended with pay on Aug. 9, two days after his Aug. 7 arrest. Before his suspension, Stockwell worked at UCO for 35 years in Computer Science.  

Wagnon said Stockwell wasn’t in jail long and just two days after the second incident, Edmond police received another complaint about Stockwell’s behavior. While at the Walgreens at 1400 E. 2nd Street, Stockwell admitted that he asked people sexual questions and asked a woman repeatedly to use a sex toy on him.

When Stockwell exited the store, he asked the same woman if she had time to consider his proposal. After the woman yelled at Stockwell, he drove off as the woman followed him.

Stockwell noticed the woman following him and when he got home, he thought she was knocking at his door, but it was the Edmond police.

Wagnon said other than these three incidences, Edmond PD has never had any other incidents with Stockwell.

On his website, Stockwell states that he has worked at UCO since the fall of 1979, except for a 2 year gap 1980-1981. He is currently suspended from his duties.

Lam Nguyen, a computer science alumni who took one of Stockwell’s classes, said he was shocked with what happened. He said Stockwell was overall a nice professor, and he never thought the professor could do something like that.

“Dr. William Stockwell is a very well respected professor at UCO, who has positively impacted the lives of many students during his thirty-eight year teaching career,” said Billy Bock, attorney for Stockwell. “Unfortunately, a medical condition has presented itself recently, causing him to act out in inappropriate and uncharacteristic ways. We are currently working with the District Attorney’s Office to find a fair resolution.”

With any sexual misconduct incident, students can call UCO police at 405-974-2345, or Edmond Police at 911. UCO also has a Title IX office that provides oversight to reports of sexual misconduct.