CRIME SCENE
EDITOR’S NOTE: The people charged with misdemeanors or felonies are innocent until they plead guilty or are proven guilty in court. Those who want the final disposition of their case reported in the Pawhuska Journal-Capital should call Robert Smith at: 918-287-7366.
FELONY CASES
Passed the trooper with the high beams on
NAME: Justin Lee Shell
AGE: 31
RESIDENCE: Tulsa
CHARGES: Child neglect; driving while impaired; driving while the privilege is suspended; failure to pay tax due the state; failure to dim headlights; and failure to use child restraint system (two counts)
DETAILS: At about 10:19 p.m. on July 3, state Trooper Justin Garrison was on patrol on Osage Drive, just south of 43rd Street North when he observed that a white Chevrolet pickup headed north failed to dim its lights as it met him. Trooper Garrison turned around and pulled over the pickup. When he asked the driver for his license and proof of insurance, the driver reportedly said he did not have a license — that it was suspended because of unpaid traffic tickets. Garrison reportedly told the motorist, identified as Justin Lee Shell, that he pulled him over because of the failure to dim the truck’s high beams, and the trooper noted that the license plate on the truck appeared to be expired. Trooper Garrison also noted that no one in the truck was properly restrained. There were reportedly two juveniles in the vehicle, who were seated in the laps of two female passengers. Additionally, the trooper reportedly observed that Shell had watery, bloodshot eyes and an odor of an alcoholic beverage about his breath and person. The trooper administered field sobriety tests and subsequently took Shell into custody. In a hearing July 10 in Osage County District Court, the court entered a not guilty plea for Shell. His next court date was set for Aug. 9.
Report of choking her stepson
NAME: Heather Dawn Swindell, aka Heather Dawn Justice
AGE: 31
RESIDENCE: Pawhuska
CHARGES: Child abuse; and child neglect
DETAILS: Sgt. Margina Solomon, of the Pawhuska Police Department, was dispatched July 2 to a residence on East 14th Street in reference to a disturbance report. Solomon and two other officers met with a reporting party, who told them her teenage daughter had witnessed Heather Dawn Swindell choking her stepson. Police gathered details regarding events in which the suspect reportedly participated, and regarding the condition of two young children. In a July 10 hearing in Osage County District Court, the court entered a not guilty plea for the defendant. The next court date in the case has been set for Aug. 16.
What’s a brother for?
NAME: Bret Amon Brewer
AGE: 39 or 40
RESIDENCE: Blanchard
CHARGES: Falsely personate another to create liability; failure to maintain insurance or security; and failure to pay tax due the state
DETAILS: Osage County Deputy Corby Sorrells, at about 6:20 p.m. on July 2, received word that a subject identified as Chad Ray Brewer wanted to talk with him about Brewer’s brother, Bret Amon Brewer, reportedly having used Chad Brewer’s ID during an earlier traffic stop. Sorrells contacted Chad Ray Brewer, who reportedly told the deputy he wanted to press charges against his brother for using his name. Chad reportedly told Deputy Sorrells that Bret had used his identity more than once through the years. Chad Brewer told Deputy Sorrells that Bret Brewer was in jail in Noble County. Sorrells reportedly checked with Noble County authorities and found that Bret Brewer was in fact locked up there. Sorrells went to Noble County and interviewed Bret Brewer, who reportedly confessed to using his brother’s name during an Osage County traffic stop because he was trying to avoid being picked up on a warrant. An arrest warrant was issued July 11 in Osage County District Court for Bret Amon Brewer.
Surveillance video plays crucial role in solving burglaries
NAME: Robert Lee Abraham Jr.
AGE: 42
RESIDENCE: Tulsa
CHARGES: Third-degree burglary (two counts); and obstructing an officer
DETAILS: Officer William Wilmott, of the Osage Nation Police Department, on July 15 was notified of a possible automobile burglary in the parking garage of the Osage Casino in Tulsa. Wilmott accompanied a casino security supervisor to the second floor of the parking garage, where they made contact with the burglary victim. The victim said a flashlight and a cell phone had been taken out of his GMC Envoy. The casino used surveillance video to identify a suspect in the burglary. Officer Wilmott and the security supervisor got into Wilmott’s patrol vehicle and drove to the east parking lot of the casino, where they encountered the burglary suspect. The suspect reportedly fled on foot and Officer Wilmott eventually caught up with him in a nearby field. The suspect only stopped running after the officer threatened to use a Taser on him. The suspect, identified as Robert Abraham Jr., reportedly had in his possession a leather belt, a flashlight, a cell phone and an ID card belonging to a juvenile. After Abraham had been taken into custody, casino security personnel reportedly used surveillance video to discover that a second vehicle, a gold-colored Chrysler, had been burglarized. Casino personnel talked with the owner of the gold Chrysler, and she was able to identify the belt and the ID card. In a hearing July 15 in Osage County District Court, the court entered a not guilty plea for Abraham. The next court date in the case is set for Aug. 16.
Accused of pulling firearm outside courthouse
NAME: James Michael David Bailey
AGE: 31
RESIDENCE: Vinita
CHARGE: Assault with a dangerous weapon
DETAILS: Officer Zachary West, of the Pawhuska Police Department, at about 4:07 p.m. on July 11, received word that a man wearing a black tank top and driving a red car had pulled a gun on people while leaving the Osage County Courthouse. Officer West and another Pawhuska officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle that matched the description of the suspect’s vehicle. Officer West said the suspect denied having a gun even before being spoken to about what had reportedly happened at the courthouse. The suspect reportedly added a short time later that he had a gun, but it was only a BB gun that he used for self-defense purposes because he delivered pizzas in north Tulsa. Officer West located a handgun in the suspect’s vehicle that he was able to identify as a BB gun. He also received information from dispatch to the effect that the suspect had prior felony convictions. In a hearing July 15 in Osage County District Court, Bailey reportedly entered a not guilty plea. The next court date in the case has been set for Aug. 30.
Headlights, tail lights not working
NAME: Samah M. Ali
AGE: 32
RESIDENCE: Broken Arrow
CHARGES: Driving a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol; failure to maintain insurance or security; improper turn about; unsafe lane use; failure to wear a seat belt; and operating a vehicle with defective equipment or under unsafe conditions
DETAILS: Osage County Deputy Corby Sorrells, about 9:54 p.m. on July 12, was at the intersection of North Osage Drive and West 36th Street North when he observed a gray Ford pickup turn east onto West 36th Street North with its headlights and tail lights not functioning. Sorrells drove behind the pickup and observed as it reportedly moved from the eastbound side of the road to the westbound side. Sorrells activated his emergency lights to pull over the pickup but the vehicle did not stop. Sorrells activated his siren to get the attention of the driver of the pickup and the suspect vehicle finally stopped. Deputy Sorrells reportedly noticed the driver of the pickup was not wearing her seat belt. As the driver explained to him that she had not seen his emergency lights, the deputy noticed that her speech appeared to be slow and slurred and she had the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from her breath and person. Sorrells had the driver, identified as Samah Ali, exit the pickup and watched as she used the driver’s side door to maintain her balance. Sorrells administered field sobriety tests and subsequently arrested Ali on suspicion of DUI. In a hearing July 16 in Osage County District Court, the court entered a not guilty plea for Ali. Her next court date in the case is scheduled for Aug. 30.
Doing 50 in a 40 and reportedly on dope
NAME: Zachary Wayne Tanksley
AGE: 39
RESIDENCE: None given
CHARGES: Driving while under the influence of drugs; driving while license canceled/suspended/or revoked; unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia; and speeding
DETAILS: State Trooper Romulus Gregory, about 12:27 a.m. on July 12, was on patrol northbound along 129th West Avenue about a tenth of a mile south of the junction with Highway 97 when he observed a dark-colored Ford F-150 headed south at a high rate of speed. Gregory estimated the truck was moving faster than the posted speed limit of 40 mph. The trooper turned on his radar and it clocked the F-150 at 50 mph. Gregory turned around and initiated a traffic stop. The driver of the pickup reportedly told the trooper he did not have a driver’s license and identified himself with an Oklahoma ID card as Zachary Wayne Tanksley. Gregory observed Tanksley to have watery, bloodshot eyes, dilated pupils, a dry mouth during speech and an odor of marijuana about him. The trooper asked Tanksley when he last used illegal drugs, and Tanksley reportedly said he had smoked marijuana about one to two hours before the traffic stop. The trooper conducted a probable cause search of the F-150 and reportedly found a glass smoking device in plain view. Gregory observed the smoking device to have residue that indicated it had been used to smoke methamphetamine. The trooper asked Tanksley when he last used meth and the suspect reportedly said, “three days ago.” A records check reportedly showed Tanksley’s driving privileges had been suspended. Trooper Gregory administered field sobriety tests and subsequently arrested Tanksley. In a hearing July 16 in Osage County District Court, the court entered a not guilty plea for Tanksley. His next court date was set for Aug. 1, but he reportedly failed to appear and a bench warrant was issued for him.
Accused of assaulting teenage girls
NAME: Shawn Micheal Bradlee Phillips, aka Shawn Michael Bradley Phillips
AGE: 25
RESIDENCE: Skiatook
CHARGES: Child sexual abuse (three counts); and indecent exposure (two counts)
DETAILS: Detective Sergeant Jerry Bullard of the Skiatook Police Department investigated a report that Shawn Phillips had sexually assaulted two juvenile females — one of them 14 years old and the other 15 years old. Sgt. Bullard received descriptions of multiple sexually offensive behaviors on the part of Phillips. In a hearing July 22 in Osage County District Court, the court entered a not guilty plea for Phillips. His next court date in the case is scheduled for Aug. 30.
ODOC said he had half a dozen shanks
NAME: Joeiune Deonte Nelson
AGE: 28
RESIDENCE: Oklahoma Department of Corrections inmate
CHARGE: Bringing contraband into a jail/penal institution
DETAILS: A search was reportedly conducted of Nelson’s cell at the Dick Conner Correctional Center in the Hominy area in June 2018, and prison staff reportedly found six “homemade sharpened instruments.” Nelson was cited for misconduct for possession of a homemade weapon. The Department of Corrections is now seeking to have Nelson criminally prosecuted. An arrest warrant was issued for him July 16 in Osage County District Court.