Registered sex offender sentenced after being on school grounds, living near elementary school

A Tahlequah woman, who was convicted in 2014 of second-degree rape and lewd or indecent proposals to a child, was sentenced for living near an elementary school and being on school grounds.

According to an affidavit, Amanda Don Ballard, 38, was arrested March 7, 2024 for living within 2,000 feet of a school and failure to comply with the sex offender registration.

Cherokee Nation Marshal Deputy Jess Anderson received a call from Cherokee County Sheriff's Sgt. Ryan Robison Dec. 11, 2023 in regard to Ballard staying at a residence on Bluebird Lane, approximately 1,238 feet from Cherokee Elementary school.

Anderson said Ballard and her husband left and went to another residence on Stick Ross Mountain Road. The deputy went to check on Ballard Jan. 8, 2024, and was advised she had not resided there in three months.

Deputies were advised to check a house on Stick Ross Circle and located a family member of Ballard, who said she was there on Jan. 3, 2024 but had not been back.

According to Ballard's Notice of Duty record at the sheriff's office, her address was listed on Stick Ross Mountain Road, not West Stick Ross Circle.

"I believe this information clearly proves Amanda Ballard is not living at her registered address and is living at the Bluebird Lane address in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, within a restricted zone," Anderson stated in the affidavit.

On April 24, 2024, Anderson was advised that Ballard was still residing at the house on Bluebird Lane,

"While interviewing [Ballard], I asked her if she stayed the night at the house. Ballard admitted staying there overnight at the residence and she admitted knowing she was not supposed to stay there. I asked her if she knew why she was not supposed to stay there at the residence. Ballard stated she knew it was too close to the school," Anderson stated in the affidavit.

On May 2, 2024, it was discovered that Ballard was within 500 feet of Greenwood Elementary on or about Aug. 14, 2023. Ballard was seen at open house enrollment, a school play, and a baseball game. She was also found to be within 300 feet of Sequoyah Elementary school on May 9, 2024. According to the affidavit, School Resource Officer Michael Gray witnessed Ballard inside a truck in the parking lot of South College Church of Christ.

"I said we use the church for school functions, so it falls under the same guidelines," Gray stated in an email that was included in the affidavit.

An arrest warrant through the District Court of the Cherokee Nation was issued June 12, 2024 and Ballard appeared in tribal court July 30, 2024.

According to a Tahlequah Daily Press article published in 2014, Ballard was accused of having more than 20 sexual encounters with a 13-year-old boy. The victim told authorities he had text messages from Ballard, asking for sex. Ballard said she and the boy met close to 25 times in a three-month span at various places, the article stated.

At the time, Ballard had pleaded no contest in exchange for a 15-year prison sentence, with 10 years suspended. She was required to register as a sex offender after serving five years in prison.

On Feb. 6, 2025, Ballard's 10-year suspended sentence was "revoked in part" in Cherokee County District Court and Ballard was sentenced five years incarcerated, five years suspended.

In tribal court, Ballard pleaded guilty to living within 2,000 feet of a school, two counts of sex offender within safety zone, and failure to comply with the sex offender registration. According to the plea order in tribal court, Ballard was sentenced 5 years incarceration followed by 5 years suspended, which is to run concurrently with her 2014 sentence.