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BY C.L. HARMON/PUBLISHER
A former captain with the Creek County Sheriff’s Office has pleaded ‘no contest to an embezzlement charge stemming from his arrest in September 2013. Leslie Earl Ruhman appeared before a Creek County Judge on August 25 with his counsel Ashley Jacobs and attorney Kevin Etherington for state to enter the plea before the court.
He was advised of his Constitutional rights and then sentenced to ten years which was then deferred, exept for ten days to be served in Bristow jail within 60 days of the plea, according to court documents. In addition, he was ordered to pay$1,000.00 special assessment and $15,000.00 in restitution & court cost.
Ruhman has also been ordered to complete 75 hours of community service under the supervision of Oklahoma Court Services. His restitution is to be paid through the district attorney’s office in Payne County at $40.00 monthly and he will be on probation through Oklahoma Court Service for the remainder of his deferred sentence.
Ruhman has also been ordered to complete 75 hours of community service under the supervision of Oklahoma Court Services. His restitution is to be paid through the district attorney’s office in Payne County at $40.00 monthly and he will be on probation through Oklahoma Court Service for the remainder of his deferred sentence
CASE HISTORY
While in the course of changing property officers, and preparing to relocate the Creek County Sheriff’s Office property room in 2013, events surfaced which were deemed to be suspect in nature. At that time the property room was secured and a request made to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation requesting an investigation into the property room.
Upon completion of the investigation the findings were forwarded to the Payne County District Attorney’s Office, which had been assigned the case by the Oklahoma Attorney General.
Ruhman had been employed with the Creek County Sheriff’s Office for over twelve years as an investigator and property officer, rising to the rank of Captain overseeing the investigation division prior to his resignation on October 3rd, 2013.
“An incident of this nature erodes the public trust and tarnishes the image of all law enforcement. I am deeply saddened and extremely disappointed in the conduct and alleged actions of Leslie Ruhman. Any time a law enforcement officer violates the public’s trust, it brings disgrace to the agency and the law enforcement profession. Law enforcement officers are not above the law and the Creek County Sheriff’s office will vigorously investigate those who break the law and violate the public’s trust.The Creek County Sheriff’s Office is dedicated to ensure property/evidence is safely, legally and efficiently maintained and managed in a professional property management system,” Sheriff John Davis said after Ruhman’s arrest.
An affidavit reveals that on October 2, 2013, Sheriff John Davis requested OSBI investigation into the Creek County property room. In February of that year, Davis had sent a memo to Ruhman requesting an audit of the room. By mid September that audit had not been completed and Undersheriff Bret Bowling informed Ruhman that a meeting was to be held on September 25th to discuss progress on the audit of the evidence room.
However, on the 24th, an officer assisting Ruhman with the property room requested they go to the evidence room and begin the audit. Ruhman agreed then excused himself to make a phone call, according to the affidavit.
A short time later Ruhman’s county vehicle was located at the sheriff’s office with the keys and his duty weapon inside. He had been the only person with the combination to the safe in the evidence room since 2006. Missing was $5,332 from ten envelopes each from ten different cases