Three Oklahoma DUI arrests in the past week show that DUI is a crime that can affect anyone, including an Oklahoma City councilman, a former assistant police chief, and the former president of a Christian university.

Last Friday, councilman Skip Kelly was arrested for DUI in Oklahoma City when police officers discovered him sitting in his damaged car.  Allegedly, Kelly was intoxicated when his vehicle jumped a curb and hit a fire hydrant.  Kelly, himself an Oklahoma City DUI attorney, told police that he was not drunk and that he had consumed only a glass of wine before driving.  He claims his accident was caused when he took evasive action to avoid a vehicle that almost collided with him.  He refused to submit to a breathalyzer test.  If Kelly is convicted of DUI, it will be his second Oklahoma DUI conviction within three years.  As a second DUI offense, the crime will be charged as a felony, with Kelly facing a fine of up to $2,500 and a maximum of five years in jail.  If he is convicted of a felony, he will also be required to forfeit his position as a member of the Oklahoma City Council.

In a separate DUI case, a former assistant police chief with the Moore Police Department was arrested on an Oklahoma County DUI complaint on Saturday afternoon.  According to the arresting officer, Gary Wayne Tipps, 55, exhibited slurred speech and poor balance when he was pulled over.  Inside the vehicle were a loaded handgun and a cup containing a substance that "smelled like whiskey."  Tipps was reported to be belligerent when arrested, kicking out a window of the police car and spitting on a jailer.  In addition to DUI, Tipps has been charged with destruction of property, possessing a firearm while under the influence, and throwing bodily fluids on a government employee.

On Tuesday, former Oral Roberts University president Richard Roberts was arrested for speeding and DUI near Tulsa, Oklahoma.  He was allegedly clocked travelling at 93 mph in a 65 mph zone.  When Roberts was pulled over, the arresting officer claimed to smell alcohol and said that Roberts was unable to perform two field sobriety tests to check coordination.  A blood alcohol analysis revealed his BAC to be 0.11.

Anyone who consumes alcohol prior to driving may find himself or herself charged with DUI.  Not every DUI arrest comes from erratic driving or from a motor vehicle accident.  More commonly, a person may be pulled over for a minor infraction, such as a rolling stop, turning into the far lane, or a burned-out headlight.  If, during the traffic stop, an officer suspects the driver may be intoxicated, a DUI arrest may occur.  Those arrested for DUI should immediately seek counsel from an experienced Oklahoma DUI lawyer.

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Ronald J. Green II, 23, on a charge of forcible oral sodomy in Oklahoma.  Green was a temporary social worker aide with the DHS office in Stillwater from May to October of 2012.  He is accused of committing the crime in September 2010, when he was transporting a 15-year-old girl from Stillwater to a foster care placement in Tulsa.  The alleged victim did not report the incident until late 2011, more than a year after the incident was alleged to have taken place.  Stillwater police notified the OSBI in late December to oversee the case.

Under state sex crime statutes, Oklahoma forcible oral sodomy is defined as:

• Oral or anal sex with a person under the age of 16 by a person who is over the age of 18.
• Sodomy with a person who is legally unable to consent due to mental illness or unsoundness of mind
• Oral sex or anal intercourse perpetrated by force or through the threat of violence

At the time of the alleged incident, Green's accuser was 15 years old and Green himself was over the age of 18.  Furthermore, Oklahoma sex crime law precludes an employee of a state agency from sexual involvement with anyone in state custody.  Therefore, even if the Green's accuser was aged 16 or older, sexual activity between the two--consensual or not--would have been considered illegal.

Green's arrest comes on the heels of a settlement agreement to a federal class-action lawsuit accusing Oklahoma DHS of multiple abuses that jeopardize the safety of children.

It is important to remember, as always, that an accusation of a sex crime does not mean that the accused is guilty of any crime.  Adults who work with children or teens are particularly susceptible to being falsely accused of a sex crime.  Whether Green's accuser is coming forward as a result of abuse at the hands of an adult entrusted with her safety or whether she is making false allegations as a result of some ulterior motive remains to be seen.  Unless or until Green is proven guilty of a sex crime against a minor, he should be considered innocent, just as in any other crime.  Green--and anyone else accused of a sex offense in Oklahoma--would be wise to quickly hire an experienced Oklahoma sex crime defense lawyer to protect his rights.

The story of Sarah McKinley of Blanchard, Oklahoma, has been featured on CBS News, The Huffington Post, The New York Daily News, and even the BBC.  Even former Alaska governor and Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin has weighed in on the story, saying of McKinley, "I'm all in favor of girls with guns who know their purpose."

The events unfolded around 2:00 p.m. on New Year's Eve, when the teen mother called 911 and told the dispatcher that someone was trying to break into her house.  She had barricaded the door with a couch, but the intruder continued to attempt to gain access to her home.  Whispering, McKinley asked the dispatcher, "I've got two guns in my hand.  Is it okay to shoot him if he comes in the door?"  In the released 911 tape, the dispatcher responds, ""Well, you have to do whatever you can do to protect yourself.  I can't tell you that you can do that, but you have to do what you have to do to protect your baby."

It took police approximately twenty minutes to arrive at the scene, and by that time, Justin Shane Martin, 24, was slumped dead over the couch, clutching a knife in his hand.  An accomplice had fled the scene.  Later, the alleged accomplice, Dustin Louis Stewart, 29, turned himself in to authorities.

Prosecutors say McKinley was clearly acting in self defense and will not be charged with any crime.  Oklahoma's "Make My Day" law, officially the Castle Doctrine, allows the use of deadly force for the protection of one's home and any innocent people legally within the home from a violent attack or any intrusion which may turn violent.  An 18-year-old girl protecting her 3-month-old son from a knife-wielding intruder certainly seems to fit the stipulations of the Make My Day law.

Although McKinley will not face criminal charges, Martin's alleged accomplice faces a first degree murder charge.  Under Oklahoma law, if a death occurs during the commission of a felony, such as first-degree burglary in this instance, anyone involved in the crime may be charged with the murder.  Though Dustin Stewart fled the scene and called 911 shortly after the shooting, he has been charged with first degree murder as the alleged accomplice of the fatally wounded Martin.

However, prosecutors will have to prove that Stewart was actually Martin's accomplice in the break-in.  Stewart's Oklahoma defense attorney may point to Stewart's 911 call as evidence of his innocence.

Stewart called 911 shortly after hearing gunfire.  He told the dispatcher, "My name is Dusty Stewart, and I think it is my friend that got shot."  He allegedly told the dispatcher, "I don't know what he was trying to do. I stood at the fence and told him to come on and I don't know what he did."

However, court documents show that Stewart later told police that he and Martin had taken painkillers before going to McKinley's home.  He is reported to have told investigators that Martin knew that McKinley's husband had recently died of cancer, and that he assumed there would be painkillers in the home, so he devised a plan to burglarize the home and steal the painkillers.

Perhaps, in light of this statement, Stewart's Oklahoma criminal lawyer will use his client's cooperation in an attempt to gain leniency in sentencing.

Dusty Stewart was released on bail with a preliminary hearing set for May.  At the time of this writing, Stewart's Oklahoma defense lawyer has not responded to media requests for a statement about this high profile case.

According to police, Oklahoma City police officers attempted a routine stop for a traffic violation just after 1:00 a.m. on January 1.  The suspects did not stop, and instead continued east, reaching speeds of up to 100 mph before crashing the vehicle.  Police say Payne and Taylor attempted to flee on foot but were apprehended.  Allegedly, the two men were throwing drugs from the vehicle during the pursuit, and a search of the vehicle revealed large amounts of cocaine and money.  Payne and Taylor were arrested for attempting to elude police and on suspicion of drug trafficking in Oklahoma.

In Oklahoma, drug trafficking charges are usually levied based on the amount of the illegal narcotic in possession of the defendant.  Regardless of whether or not the suspect actually intended to sell or distribute the controlled substance, prosecutors feel that possession of a large amount of drugs is an indication of an attempt to sell or traffic in drugs.

The amount of drug necessary for Oklahoma drug trafficking charges depends on the type of drug in possession:

• Marijuana - 25 pounds
• Cocaine - 28 grams
• Crack Cocaine - 5 grams
• Heroine - 10 grams
• LSD - 50 doses
• Methamphetamine - 20 grams
• PCP - 1 ounce

Though trafficking generally refers to "large amounts," it is clear that possession of even small amounts of particularly potent drugs can lead to drug trafficking charges in Oklahoma.  Larger amounts may bring a charge of aggravated trafficking.

Penalties for a conviction of trafficking in Oklahoma include mandatory prison sentencing, heavy fines, license suspension, and forfeiture of any assets gained by or used in trafficking.  Seized assets may include cash, weapons, and vehicles.

Drug trafficking is a felony which may be charged as either a state offense (trafficking within Oklahoma) or a federal offense prosecuted in conjunction with the FBI or the DEA.

Penalties for a first offense of Oklahoma drug trafficking include four years to life in prison and fines ranging from $20,000 to $500,000.  If a person has two prior drug trafficking convictions, he or she may be sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Oklahoma has some of the toughest drug laws in the nation.  If you are suspected of trafficking in illegal narcotics, it is important to contact a skilled Oklahoma City drug lawyer immediately to begin your defense.

In no certain order, here are a few of the Top Oklahoma Crime Stories of 2011:

• The Jerome Ersland Murder Trial - Pharmacist Jerome Ersland was charged with homicide and convicted for the murder of Antwun "Speedy" Parker, a 16-year-old attempting to rob the Reliable Discount Pharmacy.  Ersland was charged after prosecutors say that his actions went beyond self defense, claiming he shot the robber five additional times after the teenager was incapacitated.  Ersland's trial was fraught with confusion and complications before he was eventually convicted this year and sentenced to life in prison.  Ersland's Oklahoma City defense lawyer is appealing the conviction.
• The Maiming of Officer Chad Peery - Off-duty Oklahoma City police officer Chad Peery was at a local bar and grill when he was asked by bartenders to help with some unruly customers.  As Peery was escorting the men from the premises, he was severely beaten, causing paralyzing injury.  Joshua Rinken, Jimmy Smith, and Cadmio Lopez were charged with assault and battery by means of force as is likely to cause death, an offense whose punishment carries a sentence of up to life in prison.  Rinken and Smith are accused of physically injuring Peery, while Lopez is accused of preventing others from intervening on the officer's behalf.  Though his Oklahoma City assault lawyer asserted  that Lopez was innocent of any wrongdoing, Lopez pleaded guilty in November.  He will be sentenced in January.  Rinken and Smith are scheduled to stand trial early in 2012.
• Arrest in the Murder of "The Weleetka Girls" - The 2008 murders of 11-year-old Skyla Whitaker and 13-year-old Taylor Placker in Weleetka, Oklahoma, seemed in danger of remaining unsolved until another murder this year uncovered evidence tying the suspect to the Weleetka murders.  When Kevin Sweat was arrested for the murder of his fiancee Ashley Sweat, an investigation found shell casings and a receipt for a gun that connected him to the killings in Weleetka.  Sweat allegedly admitted to killing the girls, but on December 13, he remained silent at a hearing, causing the judge to enter a not guilty plea on his behalf.  Because of the high-profile nature of the case, Sweat's Oklahoma defense attorneys have asked the judge to issue a gag order.  A ruling on the gag order will be made January 3.
• Serenity Deal Murder and the Ongoing DHS Scandals - Five-year-old Serenity Deal was beaten to death less than a month after being placed in the custody of her father, despite earlier evidence of severe abuse.  Her father, Sean Brooks of Oklahoma City, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison.  Brooks will not be eligible for parole until he is 70 years old.  He waived his right to appeal.  Serenity's death is the latest in a string of child abuse deaths, beginning with the killing of 2-year-old Kelsey Smith-Briggs in 2005, that have demonstrated questionable judgment by DHS authorities and have launched a call for strong DHS reform.
• Carina Saunders Murder - The Saunders murder case first came to Oklahoma headlines when a dismembered body was found in a duffel bag in a field beside a Bethany Homeland store.  The body was later identified as 19-year-old Carina Saunders, who had been missing for several days.  A botched drug deal led to the arrest of Jimmy Lee Massey, who, through police interviews, was determined to have had a role in Saunders death.  Allegedly, Massey kidnapped a young woman and took her to a room where she was forced to watch as Saunders was tortured.  She was made to believe that the same thing would happen to her if she did not cooperate with a human trafficking operation.  Police have also arrested Francisco Gomez on drug charges, and believe he has crucial information about Carina Saunders's death.  Investigators believe that these arrests will lead to many more in connection with a sweeping drug trafficking and human trafficking scheme.

Though these are certainly not all of the major crime stories of the year, they are a few that have gripped media attention across Oklahoma.  As 2011 winds to its end, we reflect on some of the leading news of the year and hope for a peaceful and prosperous 2012.

Carina Saunders name first made headlines when she was identified as the victim of a horrendous killing.  She was reported missing to Oklahoma City police and had last been seen on October 8 or 9.  On October 13, animal welfare workers managing a colony of feral cats in a field behind a Bethany Homeland store discovered a duffel bag containing human remains.  Saunders was identified on October 17 using dental records.

Initially, two young men were considered persons of interest in the killing, but both were cleared.   The first, Kyle Tweed was quickly cleared after he went to police to "clear his name."  Cody Perez, 21, was suspected in connection with Saunders's death after family members mistakenly identified the victim as a girl he had brought home.  Through a series of coincidences, Perez, a culinary arts student, built suspicion against himself as he sold his knives and left town the day after Saunders was last seen alive.  Oklahoma City criminal defense lawyers note that circumstantial evidence means little, even when a person's guilt seems assured in media reports.

Eventually, there was a break in the case, which was being handled by the Bethany Police and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) with support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).  Jimmy Massey was arrested after a bad drug deal, in which a man who sold methamphetamine to the suspect went to police in fear for his safety after Massey refused to pay $7,500 for the drugs.  During the questioning of Massey, he admitted to having information about the Saunders murder, and a search warrant was obtained for a cell phone that had text messages related to the killing.  Massey also implicated Francisco Gomez in the killing, and Gomez was arrested on complaints of drug trafficking and failure to pay child support.

It is not clear whether either man has hired an Oklahoma City criminal lawyer to represent him.

Massey's interview with police has revealed new information about the Saunders case, and an unnamed person has told authorities that she was a witness to the murder.

The witness told police that on October 9, she was forced into a car, blindfolded, and taken to an undisclosed location where she was forced to watch as Saunders was tortured and killed.  She was told that the same thing would happen to her if she did not cooperate as demanded in a human trafficking operation.  Massey admitted that he abducted the witness and took her to the murder scene.

Authorities believe that the arrests of Massey and Gomez are the first in a series of arrests they anticipate as they break open the drug and human trafficking rings in which the two men are suspected of being involved.

• Mail fraud
• Wire fraud
• Mortgage fraud
• Bankruptcy fraud
• Medicare fraud
• Medicaid fraud
• Insurance fraud
• Tax fraud

Falsifying information, giving false information, or withholding information on applications for benefits or financial aid is illegal.  Whether one conceals assets in filing bankruptcy or files false medical claims to receive insurance compensation, fraud is prosecuted aggressively and often by the federal government rather than state government.  Those charged with fraud in U.S. District Court should find an Oklahoma fraud lawyer who is also an experienced federal criminal defense attorney.

Two Oklahoma businessmen, formerly of Norman, Oklahoma, have learned over the last couple of years just how seriously the federal government takes fraud.  Larry C. Shaver, 65, and Lewis Patrick Colbert, 65, along with colleague Howard Michael Wampler, were indicted by a Grand Jury in May 2009 on charges of fraud and conspiracy to commit fraud.  Shaver and Colbert, the CEO and CFO of McSha Properties, respectively, were sentenced last week after they pleaded guilty in September.  Shaver has been sentenced to 30 months in prison and has paid more than a million dollars in restitution United States Treasury.  Colbert has been sentenced to 24 months and has paid more than $330,000 in restitution.

Shaver pleaded guilty to conspiracy and to knowingly depositing crime proceeds.  Colbert pleaded guilty to conspiracy.  In the fraud scheme, Shaver and Colbert, along with Wampler, McSha's Vice President in Charge of Construction, are alleged to have created millions of dollars in false invoicing to inflate tax credits for low-income housing.  They are accused of using the credits to obtain financing when was then misappropriated to personal use.

White collar crimes have a notoriously high conviction rate in federal courts.  This is often because any investigation into illegal financial dealings is generally carried out by highly specialized federal agencies such as the IRS, the FBI, or the SEC.  When charged with a federal crime, one needs quality legal defense from an Oklahoma white collar crime attorney who is experienced in federal court and is fully equipped to take on the United States District Attorney prosecuting the case and to challenge the evidence obtained in a federal investigation.

Pellebon was booked into Cleveland County Jail on Friday and released on bail.  He has not been charged with any criminal offense, but according to Norman police Captain Tom Easley, the professor is the subject of an ongoing investigation.  Meanwhile, he has been placed on paid administrative leave by the University of Oklahoma, where he is an associate professor at the OU School of Social Work.  According to OU spokeswoman Catherine Bishop, Pellebon's status could change to unpaid administrative leave, depending on the details of the investigation.  Prior to being placed on administrative leave, Pellebon was on family and medical leave.

Details of Pellebon's alleged conduct have not been released.

It is important to remember, especially in sex abuse cases, that an accusation of child sexual abuse is not an indication of guilt.  One may be accused, arrested, and even charged based on any number of false allegations or complaints.  Oklahoma lewd acts defense attorneys work diligently to protect the rights of the accused throughout the criminal justice process, from investigation through trial and post-conviction appeals if necessary.   It is the constitutional right of every American to be held innocent unless proven guilty, to receive a fair trial, and to face his or her accusers.

In the Jerry Sandusky case, the accused and his sex crime defense attorney abruptly waived the right to confront the accusers at a preliminary hearing Tuesday.  Originally, Sandusky and his attorney Joe Amendola said they would not waive the hearing, at which Sandusky's accusers were set to testify.  However, Sandusky, Amendola, and another attorney, Karl Rominger, arrived at the courthouse the morning of the scheduled hearing, went into judge's chambers, and waived the hearing.

After some curious moves by the defense in the Sandusky case, including a questionable media interview that seemed to jeopardize the defense, criminal defense lawyers in Oklahoma and around the nation are keeping a close eye on the developments in the Penn State sex abuse scandal and trial of Jerry Sandusky.

For two and a half years, the slayings were unsolved, making the case one of Oklahoma's most notorious unsolved murders. Now, however, a suspect has been named and charged in the deaths of "the Weleetka girls."  Kevin Sweat, 25, of Henryetta, was charged with first degree murder for the killings of the two girls after evidence linking him to the crime was found during an investigation into another murder with which Sweat is charged.

Kevin Sweat was charged with the murder of his fiance, Ashley Taylor, 23.  Ashley was last seen on July 15, 2011, when she told family members she was going to Louisiana to marry Sweat.  She was reported missing on July 29 when no one had heard from her.  Sweat was arrested in late July and admitted to killing his fiance.  Though he told authorities that he cut her throat and pushed her into a lake, her charred remains were found on property belonging to Sweat's father.

During the search of the property, investigators found shell casings that matched those found at the crime scene of the Weleetka murders.  Sweat admitted to killing the girls, saying that two "monsters" were approaching him, and he panicked and shot them.

Sweat, who is already being held without bond for the killing of Ashley Taylor, has now been charged with the deaths of Taylor Paschal-Placker and Skyla Whitaker.  For many Oklahomans, this is the beginning of a gaining a sense of closure for one of the state's most unsettling crimes, a crime which shook a small town's sense of safety and took the innocence of the roughly 500 students in the Weleetka school district.

Because this is such a high-profile case, Sweat's Oklahoma criminal defense attorney will have to work hard to ensure a fair trial for his or her client.  Whether Sweat's claim that the girls were "monsters" is a calculated plan for the insanity defense by a sociopath or the true belief of a deranged mind, his attorney will have to carefully evaluate all evidence for the best possible defense and will have to work diligently to find an impartial jury.  High profile cases that have constant media attention can be a challenge for any attorney, but an experienced Oklahoma defense lawyer can handle the media and the controversy and work to ensure the best outcome for his or her client.

According to the women's complaints, the doctor sexually harassed them, making inappropriate, unprofessional comments and touching and groping them.  Dr. Michael, who has not been charged, refuted his accusers as making false allegations of sexual abuse.  Investigators, however, are looking into the possibility that other women may be involved, including patients, and are urging them to come forward if they feel they were victimized by the Edmond physician.

In Oklahoma sexual battery is a vaguely defined sex offense.  Essentially, sexual battery is any unwanted physical contact that occurs for the sexual gratification of the perpetrator.  Without precise definition of what constitutes sexual battery, it is an easy charge for prosecutors to file against someone whose actions--or perceived actions--do not fall under the definitions of rape, lewd acts, or sodomy.  However, this vague definition also gives an Oklahoma sexual battery defense lawyer the tools he or she needs to build reasonable doubt.

In order to obtain conviction for a sexual battery charge, prosecutors must demonstrate that the defendant (1) touched the alleged victim without his or her consent, and (2) that the intent of the touch was sexual in nature.  If, for example, a person inadvertently brushes against the breast or buttocks of another person in a crowd, he or she is not guilty of sexual battery.  Although the touch in this instant may have been uncomfortable for the the person who was bumped into, and although that person did not consent to being bumped into, there was no intent to touch and the physical contact was not initiated for sexual gratification.

It is not uncommon to see football players slap one another on the buttocks in congratulations during a game.  Although one player does not expressly consent to having his rear patted, this is not seen as sexual battery, as there is no sexual intent.  It is a common gesture in sports, and therefore, not considered sexual battery.  Slapping the backside of a co-worker in the office break room, however, is not considered a commonly accepted practice.  It is not only considered inappropriate, but can also lead to professional sanctions as well as criminal charges.

Punishable by up to ten years in prison and lifetime registration as an Oklahoma sex offender, sexual battery is a serious felony offense.  For those accused of sexual battery or other sex offenses, an Oklahoma sexual battery lawyer is vital for successful defense.