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LeFlore County crime watch |
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Friday, 16 October 2009 |
All information was obtained from affidavits submitted to the LeFlore County Court Clerk's Office.)
By Jenny Huggins
News reporter
Stuck between the walls
 Heavener police officers responded to an active alarm at the Dollar General Store on Sept. 7.
According to court documents, Heavener Police Officer Michael Suttles stated that when he arrived he noticed that the door to the business had been forced open.
Suttles entered the building and said he heard noises that led him to believe that someone was in the ceiling. 
Heavener Officer Derek Woodral and Heavener Chief of Police Ty Armstrong arrived to provide assistance as well as deputies from the LeFlore County Sheriff's Office and officers from the Poteau Police Department and the Howe Police Department.
The building was searched and officers found two bags containing tools, a pair of gloves, a flashlight and other items in the ceiling.
A suspect, David McLaughlin, was found hiding in a space between the inside and outside of the wall and was apprehended.
He had in his possession a small scanner which he was using to monitor the radio traffic, including the officers' movement through the store.
McLaughlin was transported to the LeFlore County Detention Center and booked on charges related to the break-in.

Still found on internet
 According to court documents, in May 2008 Agent Beau Ratke of the ABLE Commission discovered an internet website identified as www.coppermoonshinestills.net.
The site advertises copper moonshine stills for sale and states that the stills “can be used as art decor” and are “fully functional and operational.”
The site has a disclaimer stating that distilling without a license may be against the law and that the information provided is for “educational and informational purposes only.”
The site also states that “What you choose to use them for is up to you.”
 This website also offers for sale the “Best moonshine recipes available anywhere. Corn whiskey, Kentucky moonshine, step-by-step moonshine, Tennessee whiskey and more.”
The contact information on the site led to Terry Avery Sr. of Spiro.
Agent Ratke created a fake email account and e-mailed Avery asking questions about the use of the stills that were for sale and about the process for the production of moonshine whiskey.
On May 25, 2008 Ratke received a reply from Avery stating detailed information and instructions on how to produce moonshine while using a still of the type he offered for sale.
Another message was sent to Avery on June 8, 2008 from Ratke asking about the amount of moonshine that could be produced by one of the stills.
A message was returned from Avery to Ratke on June 9, 2008 stated the amount of whiskey that could be produced and Avery made a request for payment.
On May 14, 2009 SAC Joe Daniels made contact with Avery by using the false e-mail account and asked for the price of a five gallon still and recipes. Avery responded with a price of $465.
On the same date, Ratke requested additional information about the production of moonshine and Avery responded with more detailed information about alcohol proof and how to “run” the moonshine.
On May 15, Daniels made an agreement with Avery that half the price of the still, $235 would be mailed to the Spiro address and on May 19 a money order was mailed to Avery who then signed and cashed the order.
Daniels received an e-mail from Avery on May 26 that requested that a call be made to the Spiro telephone number.
Daniels called and a man who identified himself as Avery stated that there would be delays in the production of the still due to damage that occurred in the shop at the residence.
Daniels agreed to wait until the repairs were made to receive the completed still.
On Aug. 15, Daniels received an email from Avery that stated the still would be ready to be picked up at Spiro on Aug. 22 at 6 p.m. and that a payment of $230 would be due.
On Aug. 17 Agent Michael Randol of the ABLE Commission contacted Avery by phone and set up a time on Aug 27 to receive the completed still at the Avery residence. During the phone conversation the act of producing moonshine whiskey was discussed and more information was provided by Avery on how to produce an alcoholic beverage. 
On Aug 27 Randol made contact with Avery at the Spiro residence and paid the remaining balance of $230 for the still and informed Avery that the liquor was going to be produced in Oklahoma. The money used was photocopied and recorded. 
The court document states Avery delivered the still to Randol and provided a verbal recipe and instructions on how to produce moonshine whiskey.
Avery informed Randol that if anyone asked about the still that he was to claim that it was artwork. 
According to records Avery does not hold a license to produce alcoholic beverages in the state of Oklahoma and a search of the ABLE Commission database showed that no license of any kind had been issued to Avery.
A search warrant was issued on Aug. 28 for the Avery residence. The search warrant was served Sept. 1 and several items used in the production of moonshine stills were discovered. Also found was currency identified as money used for the purchase of a moonshine still. An alcoholic beverage, believed to be moonshine whiskey was also found. 
Avery was charged with conspiracy to operate a whiskey still without a license, a felony in the state of Oklahoma.

Identity theft
On Sept. 18 Heavener Police Officer Derek Woodral received an envelope in the mail addressed to him from Marisa Castro.
Woodral stated that when he opened the envelope he discovered a statement from Castro asking for assistance.
Castro stated that she recently discovered that she had been a victim of identity theft. She had also enclosed a police report from the Brownsville Police Department in Texas.
Woodral stated that the report showed where Castro made a complaint about identity theft. Also enclosed were copies of Castro's social security card and Texas drivers license as well as her birth certificate from the state of Michigan.
On Sept. 21 Woodral called OK Foods Human Resource Office in Heavener and asked when employee Marissa Castro would be working again.
Woodral was informed that she was scheduled to work at 5:30 p.m.
While waiting, Woodral called the victim and informed her that he would help her and asked if she would like to press charges on the person using her identity. She replied yes, most definitely.
At 5:45 p.m. Woodral called OK Foods to see if the woman who was allegedly Castro had reported for work and he was told she had.
Once Woodral arrived, he was introduced to a lady wearing a red hooded sweat shirt. He asked the office employee if they had a picture in their computer which showed the lady and her social security number.
The office worker printed out the information for Woodral. He examined the photo and noted who it was the lady that was working under Castro's name.
The lady was placed under arrest for identity theft. She was then transported to the Heavener Police Department. A translator was dispatched to the department.
The translator arrived and informed the woman of why she was being arrested and asked what kinds of identification she had under the name of Marisa Castro.
She said that she had a social security card, birth certificate and an Arkansas ID card in that name.
Woodral asked where they were and she stated that they were at her home. She stated that her real name was Inez Hernandez, and that she had real identification at home.
Hernandez was then transported to her home to recover the verifications and fradulent social security card, birth certificate and ID along with OK Foods medical ID cards and TEC Staffing Services ID with all the victim's information on them. Hernandez was then transported to the LeFlore County Detention Center for booking.

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Last Updated ( Monday, 19 October 2009 )
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