A couple is facing felony charges after they allegedly abused a 14-year-old girl and forced to become pregnant.
Nathan Potier, 36, and his girlfriend Erica Palmer, 36, both of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, were arrested in Nevada earlier this week. Potier is charged with sexual assault of a child, while Palmer is accused of enabling sexual abuse.
They are accused of exploiting the teen to become their surrogate in a deeply disturbing case that authorities say spanned multiple states, according to the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation began in December when authorities were alerted by Child Protective Services after the teen, who was in the couple’s care, became pregnant with twins , according to court documents obtained by KFOR. Potier is allegedly the father of the unborn children, the outlet reports.
Palmer later admitted to police that she wanted children with her boyfriend but was unable to conceive because her tubes were tied, authorities said, per KFOR.
During the investigation, detectives obtained a search warrant to collect Potier’s DNA at one of the teen’s medical appointments to confirm paternity. However, before that could happen, both Potier and Palmer left the state, authorities said.
Investigators pursued multiple leads before locating the couple and launching a coordinated operation to take them into custody.
On March 17, 2026, members of the United States Marshals Nevada Violent Offender Task Force arrested the couple in Sparks, Nevada.
“The arrest resulted from an ongoing investigation conducted by members of the Regional Sex Offender Notification Unit (RSONU), who are also members of the Nevada Violent Offender Task Force in partnership with the United States Marshals Service and the Nevada Department of Public Safety,” authorities said in a statement.
Potier and Palmer were transported to the Washoe County Detention Facility and will be extradited to Oklahoma County to face charges.
“Through these joint operations, law enforcement remains focused on locating individuals attempting to avoid detection and ensuring they are held accountable,” authorities said.
The teen is now in foster care, Fox12 reports.
