A 41-year-old Enid man has been charged with a felony for making lewd or indecent proposals to a girl more than 29 years younger than him.

Brian W. Hale is charged with felony lewd or indecent proposals to a child under 16. Hale appeared before Special District Judge Paul Woodward Friday via video from Garfield County Detention Facility and was arraigned on the charge. Hales faces a sentence of one to 20 years imprisonment.

According to the charges, Hale’s alleged victim is a 12-year-old girl.

Enid police were contacted Nov. 7 by an Enid Public Schools counselor who had been contacted by a student’s father. The father said his daughter told him about a classmate who had been touched inappropriately by Hale, according to an affidavit filed in the case.

When the counselor spoke to the girl, she said she too had been touched by Hale on her chest and inner thigh in a manner the girl felt was inappropriate. The girl also told the counselor Hale had touched a 10-year-old friend.

Police interviewed the three girls Nov. 10. When police asked one of the 12-year-olds if she knew why her father contacted the school counselor, she told police because Hale was a “perv,” the affidavit states. The girl said Hale would walk up behind her and place his hand on her chest.

She said Hale had done this at least twice and had put his hand on her inner thigh. The girl said Hale once asked her to perform oral sex on him, according to the affidavit. The girl said she could not remember a specific date, but said Hale made the request sometime in September.

Police interviewed the 10-year-old girl and asked if she knew Hale, and she “immediately responded by saying ‘the pervert,’” according to the affidavit. Police asked why she thought Hale was a pervert and she said because he touches her sometimes.

Police interviewed Hale the afternoon of Nov. 10 when he was not under arrest, according to the affidavit. He denied ever asking anyone to perform oral sex when police told him of the allegation. A detective asked Hale if there was ever a time he may have been joking around and made such a comment.

Hale said he may have said it “just goofing off” but did not recall making such a statement. The detective asked Hale who he thinks may have made the comment, and Hale identified the alleged victim in the case, according to the affidavit.

Hale denied ever touching the girl inappropriately and then recanted his statement about possibly making such a comment to the girl, according to the affidavit. Hale also denied touching the 10-year-old girl, but then said he probably did make a comment about oral sex but did not recall, according to the affidavit.

Later in the interview, Hale admitted to making the statement and was read his Miranda rights and agreed to continue the interview, the affidavit states.

Hale told the detective he made the statement but really did not mean it. Hale said he may possibly have made the comment to the girl in September.

Hale also admitted to “slapping” the 10-year-old girl’s behind as she was leaving. When asked specifically if he’d touched the girl while hugging, he said he may have touched her once when giving her a hug, but the other times were as she was leaving his house, according to the affidavit.

Hale told the detective he did it “to be goofy” and didn’t mean anything by it but looking back he could see “how it would be,” according to the affidavit.

Hale’s bond was set at $50,000, and he was ordered to return to court Dec. 22 for bond appearance.