Local News
Pinching pennies from the payroll
ANADARKO — Former Anadarko Payroll Clerk Katrina Pickens has become the latest public official in the four-county district to face embezzlement charges.
Pickens was released on a $50,000 personal recognizance bond Wednesday following her arraignment on the charge. She is alleged to have embezzled $189,000 dating from when she took office in November of 2006 to May of 2007, when the theft was discovered, said District Attorney Bret Burns.
Her next court date is July 19 for a preliminary hearing conference.
Burns said the case is another example of embezzled money in Grady, Stephens, Caddo and Jefferson counties being used for gambling debts.
“We're seeing a tremendous increase in the number of embezzlements and 95 percent of it has to do with gambling casinos,” said Burns, appointed as district attorney last year by Gov. Brad Henry. “Our position is if you are taking public money from taxpayers, then be prepared to go to jail.”
The dollar amount in the Anadarko case, Burns said, stems from an audit by the city’s own auditors.
That number is currently being confirmed by a independent investigation by the Office of the Auditor and Inspector Jeff McMahan.
The State Auditor’s Office is also auditing the accounts of the City of Minco. There, former City Clerk Sherri Bomgardner allegedly admitted to Minco Police Chief Tommy “Gus” Handke in May to having embezzled funds between January and March of this year. Bomgardner said she believes she took between $700 and $800 dollars of citation revenues to feed an undisclosed addiction problem.
At the time of her admission, Bomgardner did offer a check for restitution, according to the affidavit. She is currently out on a $2,000 bond and her preliminary hearing is set for Oct. 16.
Burns said the auditor and inspector's office has been “a terrific asset” in the investigations in Anadarko and Minco. Government offices have not been the only target of embezzlement. Officials at civic organizations have also felt the urge to put their fingers in the coffers.
Former Duncan Chamber of Commerce President Carole Scott is currently being prosecuted for embezzlement of funds.
“The chamber president in Duncan, just like Katrina Pickens, has admitted to a gambling problem,” the prosecutor said. He said Scott was scheduled to enter a plea in her case on Thursday in Duncan. Locally, former Festival of Light Treasurer Angie Jeffries has been charged with embezzlement for allegedly using more than $18,000 of organization funds to pay for personal debts.
Jeffries was charged in March on allegations that she had used Festival of Light money to pay on her personal American Express card from May of 2005 to September of 2006. She had served as treasurer of the organization for 14 years.
Jeffries is currently free on $50,000 personal recognizance bond and a preliminary hearing has been set for Sept. 27. It has not even been a year yet, since Chickasha was first rocked by embezzlement from a public body.
In August of 2006, an investigation was opened into former YMCA Director Brad McAdoo. During his tenure McAdoo is believed to have embezzled approximately $30,000 from the organization of which District Attorney Burns was a board member.
McAdoo pled guilty to the crime last December. He was sentenced to two years deferred sentence, 120 hours of community service and he was ordered to attend gambler’s anonymous.
When interviewed on the subject, McAdoo said the crime began as forwarding himself paychecks to cover gambling debts.
“I think all public entities need to be concerned about employees who take in cash and make cash deposits developing a gambling problem,” Burns said.
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Transformations
What comes to mind when you think of the word, “Transformation”?Do you have fantastic thoughts of people or things changing into something amazing for example, Clark Kent turning into Superman or Bruce Banner becoming the Incredible Hulk or possibly something a little more down to earth like a caterpillar miraculously changing into the beautiful butterfly?
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GRADY COUNTY FAIR RESULTS
Plants
Potted Plants
(Several varieties combined)
First: (Adult) Ann O'Bar
Second: (Adult) Joyce Riker
Third: (Adult) Jallane Link -
AROUND THE AREA
SEPTEMBER 2
Poetry Reading
• When: Sept. 2, 7 p.m.
• Where: Eduardo’s Mexican Restaurant, Private Room, 3127 S. 4th St., Chickasha
• Details: Featured Poet is Carol Hamilton, writer, storyteller and Poet Laureate of Oklahoma 1995-97Hamilton’s website is www.carolhamilton.org. There is no admission fee to attend the Poetry Reading, and refreshments are available for purchase. For more information, contact Rockford Johnson, 224-0160 or 317-7506. -
Duncan nips Chicks for straight-game win
Duncan got their eighth match win of the season Tuesday, beating Nancy Waters’ Lady Chicks in straight games at the Activity Center.
The Chicks looked like they had a little hangover from Monday night’s tough road loss at Tecumseh, coming out flat again and dropping their first two games by identical 25-17 scores.
They came out firing on all eight cylinders for game three, running out to a 15-9 lead on the strength of a 7-0 run with Shelby Crosley serving, but the Demons battled back to tie it late and the Chicks let it slip away, 25-21. -
STATE SPORTS BRIEFS
NORMAN (AP) — Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops has named walk-on Patrick O'Hara as the starting place-kicker for the seventh-ranked Sooners.
Stoops said on his radio show Tuesday night that O'Hara won the competition with Jimmy Stevens, freshman Michael Hunnicutt and redshirt freshman Bryce Easley. -
OSU's Gundy still learning on job
STILLWATER (AP) — Mike Gundy hasn't lost his love for dialing up the right play to keep Oklahoma State's offense purring along.
That passion, which he has called the most enjoyable part of his job as head coach, was bred into him as an offensive coordinator. And he is a former starting quarterback for the Cowboys. -
Whimsical metal work, jewelry part of big art show at USAO
A showing of whimsical metal work and jewelry is scheduled to be on display at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma during Helen’s Show Sept. 10-Oct 1.
The show will feature the work of USAO graduate Helen Shafer. The exhibition will be open daily during normal business hours in the Davis Hall Third Floor Art Gallery on the USAO campus. The show is free and open to the public. An opening reception is scheduled Sept. 10 at 6 p.m. in the gallery. -
High-speed chase lands 1 in jail
A high-speed motorcycle chase down Highway 81 last Wednesday landed a Ninnekah man in jail and a felony charge of eluding a police officer.
Court records show that James William Hutchins, 21, blew by Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Timothy Parrish at U.S. Highway 81 and County Road 1460 and was clocked going 144 miles per hour in a posted 70 miles per hour zone.
Parrish reported that he was sitting stationary at that location at about 3:45 p.m. on Aug. 25 when he observed a red motorcycle traveling southbound. He engaged his emergency lights and siren and pulled onto the roadway behind the Triumph motorcycle. -
5 inmates denied parole
Parole was recently denied for five Grady County inmates serving sentences with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.
The following individuals were denied at the August Pardon and Parole Board meeting:
• Jeremiah Daniel Cline, who is serving a five-year sentence for distribution of a controlled dangerous substance and a five-year sentence for possession of a controlled dangerous substance, began his sentence in August 2008.
• Warren P. Diego, who is serving a 15-year sentence (10 years PTS) for lewd molestation, began his sentence in February 2009. -
Judge recuses herself from pharmacy case
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A state district judge has stepped aside from the first-degree murder trial of a pharmacist accused in the fatal shooting of an unconscious would-be robber.
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Transformations
