McAlester News-Capital, McAlester, OK

Local News

July 23, 2008

Krebs mayor says he is innocent of guns allegations

By James Beaty

Two felony charges have been filed against Krebs Mayor Kent Vicars.

Vicars is charged with felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a police radio in commission of a felony, according to Pittsburg County District Court records.

Krebs police arrested Vicars on Monday after serving a search warrant on his home. He was booked into the Pittsburg County Jail and later released on $10,000 bond.

During an initial court appearance on Tuesday, Vicars appeared with attorney Trevor Furlong and pleaded innocent to the charges.

Special Judge Donnita Wynn allowed Vicars to remain free on the posted bond and set a preliminary hearing conference for 9 a.m. on Aug. 1.

Krebs Police Chief Dennis Cook said on Tuesday that police found rifles, shotguns, and handguns in Vicars’ home, along with a hand-held radio that had a frequency used by the McAlester Police Department tuned in as the primary frequency.

Police became involved in the search after Krebs Police Officer Chuck Sutterfield delivered the agenda for a Krebs City Council meeting to Vicars’ home, according to an affidavit filed in the case.

Sutterfield noted a muzzle loading rife and a gun safe in the home when he delivered the agenda and was invited inside the residence, acording to the affidavit.

The affidavit states Sutterfield had previous knowledge that Vicars has a felony record and that it is illegal for a person convicted of a felony to own a firearm.

Police later obtained a search warrant, signed by Special Judge Bill Layden, and served it on Monday.

In addition to the guns, police officers also found a radio tuned to a frequency used by McAlester police, Cook said. Police obtained a second search warrant for the radio, he said.

As a result of the search, Vicars was arrested and transported to the Pittsburg County Jail and remained there until posting of the bond.

Cook said that court records show that Vicars had been charged with three counts in Pittsburg County in 1981 and 1982, with the charges including assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and assault and battery on a police officer.

The records on the judgment and sentence show that Vicars had three-year suspended sentences on the charges, Cook said.

Vicars had won a special election for the Krebs mayor’s office in March, winning by 23 votes in a three-candidate field.

Although state law has limitations on when someone convicted of a felony can run for office, it does not permanently prohibit them from doing so.

The law address a person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor involving embezzlement, or convicted of a felony under state or federal law.

It states that a person with such a conviction “shall not be eligible to be a candidate for or to be elected to any state, county, municipal, judicial or school office, or any other elective office of any political subdivision of this state for a period of 15 years following the completion of his sentence” or during the pendency of an appeal.

Contact James Beaty at jbeaty@mcalesternews.com.

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