Six people are in custody and the sheriff's office plans to charge seven more after Cleveland County deputies dismantled an organized theft ring that targeted construction sites across Norman, Noble and surrounding communities.
The Cleveland County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigation Division executed five search warrants between mid-July and mid-August, linking a network of "loosely connected" suspects to a string of equipment thefts at active construction sites, The Journal Record reported Aug. 14.
The bust marks the first major crime operation under Sheriff Darrell Weaver, a former state senator and retired Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics director who was sworn in July 6 after former Sheriff Chris Amason resigned amid embezzlement charges.
"It's a good day in Cleveland County when we are able to remove a criminal cell group from our county," Weaver said in a statement. "Our deputies did an outstanding job of securing an enforcement case against this ring of thieves."
What deputies recovered
Investigators seized a 2006 Chevy 4500-series truck, two Harley-Davidson motorcycles, three dirt bikes, a dual-axle trailer, baseball gear and collector cards. The recovered property traces back to theft cases in Cleveland County, Norman, Noble, Choctaw, Minco, Moore and Oklahoma County.
Deputies also collected three handguns, two of them stolen, along with several grams of methamphetamine and over a pound of cannabis. The sheriff's office said deputies found evidence of drug distribution at the search locations, where burn piles containing copper wire were also discovered.
Who faces charges
James L. Thomas faces multiple counts of possessing, receiving and concealing stolen property, plus possession of a firearm after a felony conviction. Joshua T. Ramsey is charged with possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute. Jacob S. Valentine and Alicia K. Moore each face drug possession charges. Elizabeth M. Jones and Susan N. Johnson were arrested on outstanding warrants.
The sheriff's office said it plans to file charges against 13 total suspects as the investigation continues.
New sheriff, new direction
Weaver took office five weeks before the bust, replacing Acting Sheriff Michael Finley, who had filled the role after Amason's April 27 resignation. Amason pleaded no contest to one count of felony embezzlement for issuing check payments from his campaign account to himself and others. He received a five-year deferred sentence and was ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution.
Weaver spent 28 years with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control, serving as director from 2006 until his retirement. He later won election to the Oklahoma Senate in 2018 and chaired the Senate Public Safety Committee before resigning July 5 to take the sheriff's post.
No court dates for the arrested suspects have been announced. The sheriff's office said additional charges remain possible.
