(Update-Mr. Schieber and Mr. Rowe were booked today. Mr. Schieber’s bond was reduced to $10,000)
Two former Kay County Commissioners are facing charges.
64 year old Dee Schieber of Kildare is charged with seven counts of misdemeanor willful violation of law regulating official conduct. His bond is $25,000.
37 year old Tyson Rowe of Blackwell is facing a felony charge of racketeering, two felony embezzlement by a county officer, 12 counts of willful violation of law regulating official conduct and one count of embezzlement by a county officer. His bond is endorsed at $100,000.
The Ponca City News says the charges were filed by the Oklahoma State Auditors office. Hope Taylor of the Garfield County District Attorney’s office is listed as prosecutor.
The charges arose from complaints filed with the state attorney general’s office in 2013, and the subsequent investigation, which was completed in December of 2015.
The complaint alleged commissioners had been violating the competitive bidding act for years.
Garfield County District Attorney Mike Fields was assigned by the Attorney General’s office to review the allegations after District Attorney Brian Hermanson recused from the investigation.
A comprehensive look at the investigation and findings can be viewed here.
Schieber served as county commissioner from 1994-2014, while Rowe served from 2010-2014.
