August 4, 2017
By Paragon News Director Paul Joseph –
An Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agent picked up what appeared to be public documents Friday morning from Custer County dealing with transactions involving a Custer County Commissioner under OSBI investigation.
The records, previously believed to be open to the public, became the property of the OSBI and inquiries about them and what they contained have been referred to the Grady County District Attorney’s office.
According to Custer County Clerk Melissa Parker, she was told that once an official investigation has begun, the OSBI has the right to close the public’s access to documents involved in an investigation.
Earlier in the week, an Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman confirmed an ongoing investigation into one of the three Custer County Commissioners.
The OSBI’s Jessica Brown says she was contacted by District Attorney Angela Marsee on Monday, July 3 who requested that the OSBI investigate an allegation of official misconduct of one of the commissioners.
The alleged misconduct is reportedly believed to be the sale and/or purchase of equipment – that had at one time been county-owned – in a transaction with another county in Oklahoma.
The name of the commissioner is being withheld during the life of the investigation for he has not been charged or arrested for any crime.
As for the length of time the investigation may take, Brown says its unknown.
County Clerk Parker says the District Attorney that handles Custer County’s legal issues, Angela Marsee has recused herself from questions on the issue and turned the matter over to the state’s Attorney General who, in turn, picked Grady County’s DA, Jason Hicks.
Hicks told Paragon News that if the OSBI finds probable cause that a crime happened, he’d be the prosecutor in the case.
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