11/15/09 – Norman, OK — A business student at the University of Oklahoma is accused of conducting a little illegal business with a fellow students’ laptop. Fortunately the laptop in question virtually turned itself in to the police.

According to OUPD, in late September an Apple MacBook Pro laptop, valued at $2,000, was stolen from a vehicle parked in the Traditions East Apartments in Norman.

In October the University’s IT department was alerted that the stolen computer’s  “MAC” address was logged onto the OU computer network. Authorities quickly located the computer and spoke to the student who was operating it. The student advised authorities he had purchased the laptop for $400 (what a deal) from another student, Michael Amule Murphy, 20, of Norman. The students’ story was cerified through a canceled check he had written Murphy.

Investigators left voicemail messages for Murphy that were later returned by his attorney. According to police Murphy’s attorney told them that Murphy admitted to him to stealing the laptop.

A larceny charge was filed against Murphy in Cleveland County last week.

University of Oklahoma records show that Murphy is a sophomore and a ’student employee’ in the Price College Of Business.

In a twist of irony, Murphy’s OU Web site is entitled, “Adversity smiles at us all. All a man can do is smile back.” (OKRA News Blog wonders if Murphy is smiling now?)

Murphy’s site goes on to state…

My name is Michael A. Murphy, and I am a sophomore at the University of Oklahoma majoring in Finance and Management Information Systems.
I was born and raised in the wonderful city of Houston, Texas. I am the product of a very close and supportive family. I have the best parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles,brothers, sisters and cousins in the world. All of these people made me the great person I am today and all I want to do is give them what they have given me to succeed.
I love riding horses and calf roping, playing football and occasionally basketball, hanging out with my family,and trying to get paid. I plan to attend law school and have great aspirations to take on a powerful positions when I graduate and eventually become a CEO. I want to travel around the workld and do great things for myself and those who are around me.

We wish Murphy well, just don’t ask to borrow our laptop.

11/15/09 – Newalla, OK — A member of the United States Air Force returned from overseas deployment to find his roommate and his valuables MIA.

According to court records, airman Justin Michael Butler was sharing a residence with Matthew Randell Collins, 33, in Newalla. When Butler returned in August from deployment he realized Collins had moved out and taken several personal items of Butler’s with him – specifically; a rifle, rifle case, compound bow, bow case and arrows. Oh, did we mention that Collins also neglected to pay rent before vacating the premises?

Investigators say Collins has a habit of absconding with the property of others and had stolen several rifles and tools from his parents in the past to support his drug habit.

Fortunately, Collins told investigators he had a good reason for stealing from friends and family – “My job doesn’t pay me enough.”

That excuse apparently didn’t fly well with Cleveland County prosecutors and felony charges of grand larceny were filed against Collins last Tuesday.

In case you’re wondering, Collins is reportedly now living with his parents on Saddleback Dr., in Oklahoma City.

11/10/09 – Norman, OK — According to court records, Joshua Terell Walckhoff, 18, was arrested November 5 in Norman after he admitted to knowingly concealing and pawning stolen property after presenting it as his own.

On September 11 a University of Oklahoma student reported the theft of their Canon PowerShot digital camera worth about $200.

Walckhoff admitted he had the camera in his OU dorm room until he went to the EZ Pawn on W. Main and signed a pawn ticket claiming the camera was his and that he had owned it for the last two months.

When confronted by police Walckhoff reportedly admitted an associate of his stole the camera and that he knew it was stolen when he pawned it.

On November 6 prosecutors in Cleveland County filed two felony charges against Walckhoff for concealing stolen property and making a false declaration of ownership to a pawn broker.

Walckhoff was released from jail on a $1,000 bond.

Walckhoff is listed as a freshman on the University of Oklahoma website.

11/10/09 – Moore, OK — According to court records, Sharon Sue Currier, 39, is accused of stealing over $3,200 from the non-profit South Moore Softball Booster Club where she served as treasurer.

Prosecutors claim that Currier was the only person who had access to the Booster Club’s bank account and evidence shows she “made numerous ATM withdrawls and wrote checks to herself and to cash.”

Last Wednesday a single felony criminal charge was filed against Currier in Cleveland County court.

Public records show that Currier resides in the 1700 block of McClaren Ave. in Moore.

According to her Face Book page, Currier is originally from Peoria, IL, employed at Convergys, has been married for “over 19 years and (has) 4 kids.” Oh yeah, her favorite quotation is “I don’t give a rats ass.”

11/9/09 – Norman, OK — A University of Oklahoma freshman faces felony charges that he stole another students backpack and laptop from a campus Burger King.

According to court records, Martaize K. Fails, 18, was in the Burger King located inside the Adams Dormitory on October 30 when he absconded with another students backpack containing a Dell laptop and misc. items totaling just over $1,700.

Fails might have gotten away with it too if it wasn’t for those pesky little security cameras that recorded his every thieving move.

Police say when they contacted Fails he refused to return the stolen loot and was arrested.

On November 2 felony charges were filed against Fails.

According to the OU website, Fails is listed as a freshman.

An Internet search shows Fails played high school football at Capitol Hill High School.

11/9/09 – Norman, OK — Charges are filed against a repeat sex offender after he is found loitering at a Norman park watching a youth football game – more disturbing is the fact he is still on the street at all.

According to court records, on October 11 of this year Joshua Tyrone Shobert, 32, was questioned by Norman police after someone called complaining that a registered sex offender was loitering at Reaves Park. Shobert reportedly told police he was watching his nephew play football.

On November 3rd a single felony charge was filed against Shobert in Cleveland County.

Registered sex offenders being charged with violating the terms of their sex offender status is nothing new. However, based on Shobert’s criminal history, the shocking part of this story is that he has been allowed to remain on the streets at all.

According to court papers, Shobert is a lifetime, level 3 sex offender (highest risk with a likelyhood to re-offend). Shobert’s sexual assault criminal history includes a conviction for fondling on 9/24/99, fondling on 3/19/97, fondling on 3/22/96, lewd molestation of a three year old in 1999, three counts of lewd molestation in 1997 of of children ages seven, five and five, and another conviction for the lewd molestation of a 12 year old in 1996.

The Oklahoma Sex offender Registry lists Shobert’s residence as 6305 NW 10th #10 in Oklahoma City (as of 11/9/09).

On October 30 a warrant was issued for Shobert’s arrest. His bond has been set at $20,000.