An Oklahoma couple unable to conceive without medical intervention allegedly forced a teen girl to act as their surrogate before fleeing to Nevada to hide, Us Weekly has learned.
Nathan Potier and Erica Palmer, both 36, were discovered hiding out in the town of Sparks, Nevada, earlier this week, where the fugitives were arrested on felony warrants, authorities announced.
Potier is charged with one count of sexual assault of a child, while Palmer is charged with one count of enabling sexual abuse of a child, according to police.
Potier allegedly raped the 14-year-old girl and is believed to be the biological father of the twins she was forced to carry, the allegations state.
Police began investigating the couple in December 2025, after a caseworker for Oklahoma Child Protective Services was alerted to a pregnant teen carrying twins. Investigators then spoke to the girl, who claimed she was sexually assaulted. She said her alleged rapist was responsible for the unwanted twin pregnancy.
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According to a news release from the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, developing information eventually led authorities to believe the couple were staying in the Sparks area. Surveillance operations later proved that they were hiding out in the town, and the pair was arrested on Tuesday, March 17, by members of the United States Marshals Nevada Violent Offender Task Force.
Palmer allegedly told police that she had wanted to have children with Potier but couldn’t conceive naturally because she’d had her tubes tied, according to court documents obtained by KFOR.
Authorities will now take a sample of Potier’s DNA to confirm if he is indeed the biological father responsible for the high-risk pregnancy.
“This case demonstrates a high level of coordination between investigators and partner agencies,” police said in a press release announcing the arrests. “Through these joint operations, law enforcement remains focused on locating individuals attempting to avoid detection and ensuring they are held accountable, while continuing proactive efforts to track and monitor registered sex offenders within our region.”
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KFOR reports that court documents seem to reference an earlier report filed in California, alleging Potier had sexually abused the same teen, and that Palmer permitted it.
Potier and Palmer will soon be extradited to Oklahoma to stand trial. Palmer and Potier are being held on $200,000 and $300,000 bonds, respectfully.
If you suspect child abuse, please call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or visit ChildHelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential, and the hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
