An Oklahoma couple has been detained in Nevada following a three-month investigation into the alleged sexual abuse and exploitation of a 14-year-old girl. Nathan Potier and Erica Palmer, both aged 36, were apprehended on Tuesday by the US Marshals Nevada Violent Offender Task Force in the Reno-Sparks area, approximately 1,450 miles away from where the crimes allegedly occurred. Authorities claim the duo forced the teenager to become pregnant with twins after Palmer reportedly found herself unable to conceive naturally.
The investigation was initiated in December 2025 after a caseworker from Oklahoma Child Protective Services reported that a 14-year-old girl was pregnant with twins. Oklahoma City Police subsequently launched a probe into a possible child sexual assault at an apartment complex near the intersection of North Penn and Northwest 122nd. Investigators believe the couple targeted the minor specifically to serve as a surrogate, with Potier alleged to be the biological father of the unborn children.
Legal records indicate that Potier faces one count of sexual abuse of a child, while Palmer is charged with one count of enabling sexual abuse of a child and two counts of child abandonment. Before the couple fled the state, Palmer reportedly informed police that she desired children but had previously undergone a tubal ligation, a permanent form of birth control. This medical history is believed to be a central motive behind the alleged targeting and abuse of the teenage victim.
The situation escalated when authorities obtained a search warrant to collect DNA samples from Potier to confirm paternity. However, the couple disappeared from Oklahoma before the warrant could be executed, leading to a multi-state manhunt. Further documentation revealed that similar allegations of sexual assault against the same victim had previously surfaced in California, with Palmer allegedly having full knowledge of the ongoing abuse.
Currently, both suspects remain in custody at the Washoe County Detention Facility, with Palmer’s bond set at RM840,000 ($200,000) and Potier’s at RM1.26 million ($300,000). The 14-year-old victim has been placed in foster care for her safety and well-being as the legal proceedings continue. The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office praised the high level of coordination between various law enforcement agencies in ensuring the pair were tracked down and held accountable for their actions.
