Local, State briefs
BY Staff Reports
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
11/21/12 at 2:52 AM
Sex offender sentenced in child pornography case
A Tulsan who was sentenced earlier this year to life in prison for sexually abusing a family member was sentenced Monday to 45 years in prison in another case.
Thomas Alvin Merrel, 35, pleaded guilty in October to three counts of second-degree rape and three counts involving child pornography.
The offenses involved a 14-year-old runaway girl, records show.
District Judge James Caputo sentenced Merrel to 45 years in prison. He ordered that sentence to run concurrently with the life term that a jury imposed in June upon finding Merrel guilty of the sexual abuse of a girl who was 9 when the abuse occurred, records show.
The concurrent terms mean Merrel must serve a life term that requires him to spend more than 38 years behind bars before being eligible for parole.
- BILL BRAUN, World Staff Writer
Man accused of attempted rape of Subway employee
A Tulsa man is in custody on an allegation that he attempted to rape a sandwich shop employee.
Norman Fitzgerald Williams, 20, was arrested Tuesday on an attempted first-degree rape complaint, jail records show.
The victim told police that Williams walked into the Subway at 6161 S. 33rd West Ave. about 8:45 p.m. Monday while the restaurant had no customers and grabbed her, according to an arrest report.
The woman said Williams groped her before telling her to bend over and saying he wanted to have sex with her, the report says.
The woman said she refused and told him the restaurant had surveillance cameras. Williams then released her and kissed her shoes, she told police.
Williams was arrested nearly an hour later at Love Heals Church, 3306 W. 21st St., police said.
During interviews with detectives, Williams said he had been watching pornography earlier that day and had walked by the restaurant, where he saw the woman alone, the report indicates.
He told police that when the victim told him "to please do not do this," he stopped and kissed her feet before leaving, the document says.
He remains in the Tulsa Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail.
- Kendrick Marshall, World Staff Writer
Felon sent back to prison for robbing Tulsa bank
A Tulsa felon has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for robbing a downtown Tulsa bank.
Robert J. Archer Jr., 46, pleaded guilty Monday to the second-degree robbery of the Bank of America at 515 S. Boulder Ave. on Aug 3.
Police said a man holding a yellow towel over his face robbed the bank by demanding money from a teller about 1:15 p.m. before fleeing on foot.
The charge against Archer alleges that he took $1,104. He was arrested Aug. 17 after police received anonymous tips that he was the robber pictured in surveillance photographs in news reports, according to police.
Archer was sentenced to 18 years in prison Monday by District Judge James Caputo.
He was convicted of felonies in 2003 that include possession of marijuana with intent to distribute in the presence of a minor and possessing a stolen debit or credit card, records show.
- BILL BRAUN, World Staff Writer
Police seek pickup driver who hit pedestrian, fled
Tulsa police are seeking the driver who fled after his or her pickup struck a pedestrian Monday night.
A Tulsa Transit bus driver saw a red pickup strike Raymond Davidson, 50, and speed off near Pine Street and New Haven Avenue about 10:45 p.m., Officer Leland Ashley said.
The bus driver stopped and provided aid as paramedics and police were en route.
The pickup reportedly was speeding east on Pine Street when it struck Davidson, who was walking alongside the curb, Ashley said.
Davidson had head and upper-torso injuries and was taken to St. John Medical Center, police said.
A camera in the bus might have captured images of the pickup, and investigators are in the process of requesting a copy of the video from the Dallas-based company that processes the data.
Anyone with information about the wreck is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 918-596-COPS, online at tulsaworld.com/crimestoppers or via text message at CRIMES. Text tips should begin with "Tip918." Tipsters can be anonymous and may receive a reward.
- AMANDA BLAND, World Staff Writer
Suspect jailed on shooting, gun-pointing allegations
A man who was wanted in a recent shooting was arrested Monday on that charge as well as on two complaints of pointing a deadly weapon.
Patrick Lewis Franklin, 47, was arrested at St. John Medical Center after he was treated for a gunshot wound he suffered Nov. 10, according to his arrest report.
Franklin is accused of threatening his girlfriend and her children at two locations Nov. 10. Witnesses told police that he brandished a firearm and said he would kill his girlfriend and her daughters, the arresting officer wrote.
He is accused of firing a gun at one of his girlfriend's daughters at the McKinley Apartments, 6618 E. Latimer Place.
A short time later, Franklin was shot in the back at the Towne Square Apartments, 1607 E. Young Place, police said. He identified his shooter but declined to pursue charges, the report states.
Franklin was charged Nov. 8 with assault and battery with a deadly weapon, and a warrant was issued for his arrest, Tulsa County District Court records show.
Prosecutors say Franklin, who is also uses the last name Thomas, shot Derrick Dewayne Ross in the torso and hand with a pistol Oct. 16.
Police said the shooting occurred Sept. 23 at the Protocrat Club 007, 3228 N. Lewis Ave.
Investigators were unable to account for the discrepancy between police and court records regarding the date.
Franklin remains in the Tulsa Jail with bail set at $140,204.
- AMANDA BLAND, World Staff Writer
Critically injured man left at hospital after shooting
A man was critically injured in a shooting at a Tulsa motel early Tuesday, police said.
An anonymous caller reported hearing a single gunshot at the Motel 6 at 1010 N. Garnett Road at 12:38 a.m., police said. Witnesses told police a dark-colored pickup sped from the scene before officers arrived.
Police found no victim at the motel but found blood splattered on a room door, they said.
Seven minutes later - at 12:45 a.m. - a man with a gunshot wound was dropped off at Hillcrest Medical Center by people in a dark-colored pickup, homicide detectives said. The man, Lucas Knight, 25, was admitted in critical condition, Sgt. Malcolm Wightman said.
Police believe that Knight was shot at the motel.
They have identified Donald Hallett, 44, as a suspect. Hallett is 6 feet tall and weighs about 200 pounds, police said. He has brown hair. Homicide detectives say he should be considered armed and dangerous.
Anyone with information about Hallett's whereabouts is asked to contact Crime Stoppers or homicide detectives directly at 918-798-8477 or via email at homicide@cityoftulsa.org.
- AMANDA BLAND, World Staff Writer
Police: Shooting might have domestic motive
A man was shot just after midnight Tuesday in what might be a domestic disturbance, Tulsa police said.
The victim, who police said appeared to be in his 20s, was shot in the parking lot of an apartment complex near 67th Street and Zunis Avenue, said Cpl. Andrew Mackenzie. The man was shot at least once in the abdomen.
The gunman fled in a small dark-colored sedan, police said.
The victim made several attempts to seek help from residents of the complex but traveled a distance across the parking lot before he was able to get help, Mackenzie said.
The man was able unable to give a detailed suspect description, Mackenzie said.
Investigators believe that the shooting might be tied to an argument the man had with his girlfriend, but the investigation is ongoing, police said.
Anyone with information regarding the shooting is asked to contact Crime Stoppers. Tipsters can be anonymous and may receive a reward.
- AMANDA BLAND, World Staff Writer
Police release Jeep images in BA grave-robbery case
BROKEN ARROW - Police have released security footage of a vehicle that might have been used in a grave robbery at a cemetery this month.
The vehicle, which appears to be a white, two-door Jeep Wrangler with a black hard top, was filmed leaving the cemetery early Nov. 10, police said.
The footage can be viewed online at tulsaworld.com/gravevideo.
It was discovered on Nov. 12 that human remains were missing from an above-ground tomb that had been broken into at Floral Haven Memorial Gardens, 6500 S. 129th East Ave., Cpl. Leon Calhoun said.
Cemetery workers reported noticing the damaged tomb that day, but it was possible that the remains were stolen earlier, he said. The remains had been there for more than 25 years.
Anyone with information about the crime or the vehicle is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 918-596-COPS.
- ZACK STOYCOFF, World Staff Writer
Inola woman charged with Hurricane Katrina fraud
An Inola woman has been charged in Tulsa federal court with committing bank fraud by falsely claiming that her residence, personal property and vehicle were damaged in Hurricane Katrina.
Marina Concetta Yancy, 52, is accused in a charge filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office this week of filing a fraudulent application for hurricane-related disaster relief on Oct. 15, 2005, about six weeks after the storm devastated many areas of the Gulf Coast.
Yancy claimed that she was living in a rented residence in Pass Christian, Miss., when the hurricane hit, even though she actually was living in Tulsa, prosecutors allege.
The charge says Yancy claimed to be in need of federal disaster assistance for food, clothing and shelter.
As a result, $2,358 was transferred into her personal bank account from the U.S. Treasury, the charge says.
- David Harper, World Staff Writer
Okmulgee County pair jailed in meth trafficking
A Henryetta woman and an Okmulgee man were arrested Monday after several grams of methamphetamine were found during a traffic stop, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
Marie Doughty, 31, and David Stone, 29, were booked into the Tulsa Jail on trafficking methamphetamine complaints, jail records show.
Stone was also arrested on complaints of driving under the influence, failing to stay in the proper lane and possessing a controlled dangerous substance.
A state trooper saw a Ford Focus going south on U.S. 75 near 51st Street about 11:50 p.m. Sunday, according to an arrest report.
The trooper stopped the car near 181st Street and noticed a strong odor of marijuana on Stone's breath and clothing, the report says.
A search of Doughty's purse turned up two large sandwich bags that contained what was thought to be more than 20 grams of crystal methamphetamine, the report says.
Stone remains in the Tulsa Jail with bail set at $35,100. Doughty is no longer in the jail.
- Kendrick Marshall, World Staff Writer
Toddler dies after left in car with heater running
TAHLEQUAH - Police are investigating the death of a child who was found in a parked car Monday night.
The Tahlequah Police Department received a call about 9 p.m. Monday about an 18-month-old girl who was unresponsive at Norris Park, police reported.
Paramedics took the toddler to Tahlequah City Hospital, where she died, police said.
Detectives said the child had "an extremely high core temperature" when she was found in the back seat of the car.
Her father, Cody Butler, 19, told them he was standing outside the car, and it "appears the father had the car running and the heater on," Detective Jeff Haney said.
Police said Butler said he noticed that the child's cheeks were purple when he removed her from the car and began performing CPR on her.
Butler was arrested on complaints of child neglect or endangerment and second-degree manslaughter, police said.
Charges will depend on the findings of an investigation and a report from the Medical Examiner's Office, they noted.
"This type of tragedy is one of the hardest calls we respond to as law enforcement officers," Police Chief Clay Mahaney said. "We feel for the family and strongly remind everyone to never leave a young child unattended for any amount of time."
- Jerry Wofford, World Staff Writer
Flaming Lips' singer takes grenade to OKC airport
OKLAHOMA CITY - Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips will be getting a letter from the Transportation Security Administration telling him how much his fine will be for carrying a disarmed hand grenade in his carry-on luggage at Will Rogers World Airport.
Coyne, of Oklahoma City, was on a trip to Los Angeles on Nov. 10 when a TSA agent spotted a hand-grenade in his bag at a security checkpoint.
The agent closed the checkpoint and began protocols for dealing with a live bomb. A TSA explosives expert was not on duty at the time but arrived quickly and determined that the grenade, painted gold, had been deactivated and posed no threat.
According to police reports, Coyne said the grenade, which had a hole in the bottom, was a gift he received at a party in Arkansas.
The west security checkpoint was closed. Although people in line behind Coyne missed flights during the one-hour security delay, most were rebooked and sent on their way.
- from the Oklahoman
Associated Images:
Williams
Archer
Franklin
Hallett
Butler
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