Man running for governor of Oklahoma charged with kidnapping and sexually assaulting woman

A man who is currently running for Oklahoma governor was arrested Monday on suspicion of kidnapping and rape, according to the Tulsa Police Department. Paul Tay, a 58-year-old who has gained a reputation as a perennial candidate for various political offices in Oklahoma, is accused of picking up a woman in his car, locking her inside and sexually assaulting her at his home.

The alleged incident began Sunday when a woman applied to a Craigslist ad for a job on Tay's campaign in Oklahoma City, police said. Tay picked up the woman in his car in the city of Bethany, about 12 miles northwest of Oklahoma City, because she didn't have a ride to the area. Police said Tay instead drove in the direction of Tulsa, where he lives. During that ride, police said, the victim wasn't allowed to exit the vehicle. According to police, Tay ran out of gas during the drive and he resorted to panhandling for money until he had enough to refuel. The victim alleges that she was too afraid to get out of the car during that time. Once at Tay's home, he allegedly "attempted to have sex with her, then sexually assaulted/raped her with a pipe."