DA Files Murder Charges Against Two Oklahoma Jail Inmates
The Oklahoma County District Attorney has filed murder charges against two jail inmates.
The inmates are accused of providing fentanyl-laced drugs to an inmate who died in a suspected overdose.
Gary Grass, 47, and Juan Enriquez, 28, have been charged with murder in the death of fellow Oklahoma County jail detainee Vincent Riggie, who died of a suspected overdose on Jan. 18. Riggie was 37 years old.
Jail security footage collected by Oklahoma Department of Corrections investigators shows Grass and Enriquez passing a substance between themselves and then to Riggie.
The two men have also admitted to investigators they were involved in the distribution of fentanyl within the jail.
According to a news release from the Oklahoma County Jail Trust, nearly 20 overdoses stemming from fentanyl-laced contraband have occurred in the jail since Riggie’s death.
The state medical examiner has not yet made an official ruling as to the cause of Riggie’s death.
Former Muscogee Nation Employee Charged With Embezzlement, Tax Fraud
A former employee of a Northeastern Oklahoma tribe has been charged with two federal crimes.
Michael Houser was the accounts payable manager for two Muscogee Nation gaming departments. He has been charged with embezzling federal funds and committing tax fraud.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Oklahoma said Houser, who worked for the tribe for 13 years, failed to report nearly $8 million of income to the IRS.
He’s also accused of stealing an undisclosed amount of money worth more than $5,000 from Muscogee Nation Gaming.
The court is seeking forfeiture of Houser’s luxury vehicles, investment accounts and a portion of the sale from his home.
The Muscogee Nation has declined to comment amid the ongoing investigation.
Next Step For Proposed Metro Commuter Rail Line Delayed
Plans for a commuter train between Edmond and Norman have been pushed back for at least a year.
The delay is due to a new study on the existing rail tracks.
The Regional Transportation Authority announced in a release a $420,000 grant to help study 52 train crossings from Edmond to Norman.
The grant and study are part of RTA's Commuter Rail Project to connect Edmond, OKC and Norman.
A sales tax vote set for early 2025 would help fund the rail system, but the new grant and study has delayed that vote and plans for light rail.
RTA’s Executive Director Jason Ferbrache said in the release the study will evaluate which crossings need upgrades to help improve traffic and advance plans for the commuter rail.
Oklahoma City TV station KOCO reports the study will take some time before completion resulting in the sales tax election being pushed back at least a year.
President Donald Trump Appoints Oklahoman As EPA Regional Administrator
President Donald Trump has appointed Scott Mason IV to serve as the Environmental Protection Agency's new regional administrator for the south-central United States.
Mason is a Cherokee Nation citizen and grew up in the western Oklahoma town of Cordell.
In his new appointment, he’ll oversee EPA activities in Region 6, which includes Oklahoma, four surrounding states and 66 tribal nations. Mason said his priorities in the position are protecting human health while growing the economy.
During his first term, Trump appointed another Oklahoman, Ken McQueen, to the position. McQueen went on to serve as Oklahoma’s secretary of energy and environment with Mason as deputy secretary.
Several Oklahoma officials expressed excitement to work with Mason in his new capacity, including Department of Environmental Quality Executive Director Rob Singletary, who praised Mason’s “smart and thoughtful approach to government regulation.”
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