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Weatherford Daily News
Oklahoma coverage
Oklahoma City
A former Oklahoma zookeeper sentenced to 22 years
in prison for his role in a murder-for-hire plot and
violating federal wildlife law has formally requested a
pardon, the Associated Press reported.
Attorneys for Joseph Maldonado-Passage, also
known as “Joe Exotic,” filed his application Tuesday
with the U.S. Department of Justice. In it, attorneys
for Maldonado-Passage said he was “railroaded and
betrayed” by others. The application also includes
several character affidavits, letters of support and
various trial documents, according to AP.
Maldonado-Passage was convicted last year of trying
to arrange the killing of a Florida animal sanctuary
founder, Carole Baskin, who criticized his treatment of
animals. Baskin wasn’t harmed. Maldonado-Passage
also was convicted of killing five tigers, selling tiger
covers and falsifying wildlife records, AP reported.
Maldonado-Passage currently is housed at the Federal
Medical Center, a 1,500-inmate facility in Fort Worth,
Texas, according to AP.
Oklahoma City
A judge has set a trial date for a legal battle involving
Oklahoma’s attempt to review financial records from
a private company which manages a public charter
school, the Associated Press reported.
District Judge Natalie Mai set the trail date for
December 16. State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd
said Epic Youth Services, which manages Epic Charter
Schools, has refused to provide her office with records
of Epic’s Learning Fund — a bank account which
pays $1,000 per student for extracurricular activities,
technology costs and supplemental curricula, according
to AP.
State investigators alleged Epic used the fund
to embezzle taxpayer funds. Epic has denied any
wrongdoing. Attorneys representing Epic Youth said
those funds no longer are public once they’re paid to a
private company, and they shouldn’t be submitted for
the audit, AP reported.
Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
WEATHERFORD DAILY NEWS, WEEKENDER, SEPTEMBER 12, 2020 - PAGE 3B
The Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School
Board, which oversees the Epic One-on-One virtual
school, argued in a friend-of-the-court brief state
auditors should have access to those records, according
to AP.
Oklahoma City
Philip James Heath, of Lawton, has been sentenced
to serve 96 months in federal prison for possession
of illegal explosives and possession of multiple
firearms after previously having been convicted of a
felony, according to a release from the United States
Department of Justice.
January 30, 2019, Lawton police officers responded to
a 911 call and ultimately discovered multiple firearms
inside Heath’s residence. Because of additional
materials discovered at the scene, the Lawton Police
Department was then assisted in the investigation by
the Oklahoma Highway Patrol; the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the FBI
Oklahoma City Division’s Joint Terrorism Task Force,
according the DOJ.
In February 2019, Heath was charged by criminal
complaint with being a convicted felon in possession
of multiple firearms. April 2019, a federal grand jury
returned a two-count indictment which alleged illegal
possession of firearms and two lengths of detonating
cord among other items. Wednesday, Heath was
sentenced to 8 years in federal prison and 3 years of
supervised release. Heath also was ordered to forfeit the
items listed in the indictment, the DOJ reported.
Stillwater
The Oklahoma State University Department of
Athletics is undergoing immediate cuts in personnel
and operating budget due to fiscal challenges triggered
by COVID-19, the university’s athletic department
announced Wednesday.
The personnel decisions, along with previous cuts
in the operating budget and a hiring freeze keeps
nine positions vacant for the foreseeable future,
will remove about $13 million for OSU’s 2020-21
budget. The payroll cutbacks will take place in the
form of furloughs, salary reductions and layoffs and
affect about 232 of the department’s 241 employees,
according to the university.
Ten department employees were laid off Wednesday.
Sixty-six employees will begin participating in a
furlough program beginning September 16. Another
151 employees will see a reduction in their salaries
beginning this month. The salary cuts range from 2.5
percent to 25 percent with the department’s highest
paid employees taking the biggest cuts in pay, the
university reported.
“These cuts don’t solve the problem. We still are
facing a budget deficit estimated to be around $30
million, which may require additional measures in
the coming months. However, we exist to serve our
student-athletes,” Athletic Director Mike Holder said.
“Their academics, health, safety and their ability to
compete remain our top priorities and will not be
compromised.”
Hugo
Wednesday, agents from the Oklahoma State Bureau
of Investigation arrested 71-year-old Jeffrey Lyn
Pierce, of Hugo, for first-degree murder in the death
of his wife — 48-year-old Ronnie Ranea Fitzpatrick-
Pierce, the OSBI said in a release.
May 7, 2020, OSBI was requested by the Choctaw
County Sheriff’s Office to assist in the homicide
investigation. The investigation revealed Pierce stabbed
Fitzpatrick-Pierce multiple times during a domestic
violence incident at the couple’s home, and his action
were not justified, according to OSBI.
The Choctaw County District Attorney’s Office filed
one count of first-degree murder with malice intent
against Pierce. September 9, 2020, OSBI agents,
assisted by Choctaw County Sheriff Terry Park, took
Pierce into custody at his home southeast of Hugo.
Pierce was booked into the Choctaw County jail and
has been denied bond at this time, OSBI reported.