ICE agent-turned-Oklahoma councilman under investigation as possible serial child predator

An Oklahoma city councilman who once served as an immigration officer is under investigation as a possible child predator.

Jeffrey Short, an elected official in Asher and former U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, was arrested Friday after two teenage girls accused him of sexual misconduct, reported KFOR-TV.

The parents of a 16-year-old girl reported the abuse to police, who referred the case to the Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office because of the police department's close working relationship with the City Council.

The girl told investigators that Short rubbed her arm and then felt underneath her clothes, and ignored her pleas to stop.

"He just kept telling her, 'I'm going to show you a good time,'" said Deputy Anthony Hopkins.

Short was arrested at City Hall, and deputies said he appeared to be relieved.

"They said a look of relief came across his face, probably because he's been doing this for a long time," Hopkins said.

The Department of Homeland Security substantiated in 2008 that Short had preyed on a 14-year-old girl, and he was accused of showing pornography to minors while working as an ICE agent -- but he was never charged in those investigations.

Deputies are investigating whether Short had other victims during the 11-year period between those allegations and his current charges.

"If he's serial and he does this all the time, 2008 to 2019," Hopkins said, "he probably will have more victims in that time."