Another Webcoat defendant headed to court Friday

By Kandra Wells

A former jailer is scheduled to appear in court Friday as one of the last three defendants in a case involving the theft of $80,000 in outdoor furniture.

Roy Paul Rodgers, 37, of rural McAlester, has been charged with five counts of felony larceny of merchandise from a wholesaler for seven tables allegedly taken from Webcoat. He also faces a misdemeanor charge involving a bench, with the value of all furniture he allegedly stole set at $5,053.

Webcoat makes and distributes coated outdoor furnishings. In December, eight former employees were arrested, and other arrests have followed. Charges against three of the employees have since been dismissed.

Formerly a jailer at the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Department under then-sheriff Don Hass, he was the last person arrested in the case involving a theft ring of Webcoat employees and missing shipments dating back to 2004.

Stolen furniture was recovered from places over several counties, including at a Latimer County church, bolted to a McAlester sidewalk, and the homes of Rodgers’ parents, Pittsburg County Director of the Office of Emergency Management Trent Myers and even a McAlester police officer. Rodgers allegedly sold or gave away the tables as “seconds” or defective furniture.

Neither Myers, the police officer, nor Rodgers’ parents have been charged in the case.

Rodgers is being prosecuted by District Attorney Larry Moore, who represents the district based at Muskogee County. Moore was assigned the case on June 12, about a month after local District Attorney Jim Bob Miller recused his office.

In his letter of recusal sent to the state Attorney General’s office, Miller said he was recusing himself because he had represented Rodgers while Miller was in private practice. But in March, Miller told the News-Capital that he was a friend of Rodgers and that he would recuse himself from the case, but not his office.

“If I had to recuse my office out of everybody I know and am friends with, we wouldn’t be prosecuting anybody,” the district attorney said at the time.

In his letter dated May 22, Miller states: “I am requesting our office be disqualified from further involvement in this case due to the fact that I represented the defendant on other matters when I was in private practice. To avoid the appearance of impropriety, this office’s recusal is necessary.”

Meanwhile, Rodger’s new prosecutor, Moore, said he has spoken with representatives from Webcoat but has not met with Rodgers’ attorney, Todd Konsure. He did not know what penalty he would seek in the case, but he said Webcoat wants restitution.

Of the other 11 people charged in the case, restitution totaling $14,600 has been ordered paid by four.

Here is the status of the 11 other people arrested in the Webcoat case:

Keith Creekmore, 48, of Checotah, set for August jury docket.

Lindsay Dwayne Hill, charged in Latimer County with knowingly concealing stolen property; Aug. 26 next court appearance.

Jackie Hill Courts, 44, of McAlester, pleaded no contest April 27 to conspiracy to commit larceny from a wholesaler. Judgment and sentencing deferred for five years; ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution.

Patrick Earl Warren, 41, of McAlester, pleaded no contest April 27 to felony conspiracy to commit larceny from a wholesaler. Judgment and sentencing deferred five years; ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution.

Melvin Lon Brown, 41, of Eufaula, pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy and three counts of larceny for five-year suspended sentence, ordered to pay $2,500 in restitution. Two counts of larceny dismissed.

Kyle Kirkpatrick, 27, of McAlester, pleaded guilty April 17. Judgment and sentencing deferred for two years; ordered to pay $2,100 in restitution.

David W. Lawson, 36, of Krebs, pleaded guilty in March for five-year suspended sentence.

James Edward Brown, 51, of McAlester, pleaded guilty May 8 to larceny of merchandise from a retailer. Judgment and sentencing deferred for three years.

Julie Christy Walters, 27, of rural McAlester, larceny of merchandise from a retailer, dismissed Jan. 16.

Jorge Perez, 29, of McAlester, dismissed March 6.

Miguel Beltran, dismissed March 9.

Contact Kandra Wells at kwells@mcalesternews.com.

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