Published: March 27, 2008 11:00 pm      

Grand jury indicts Woodward County Sheriff

Woodward County Sheriff Les Morton was indicted on 20 felony counts of fraudulent travel claims in Woodward County District Court Thursday morning.

Morton appeared in court to face the charges that were brought forward by a Woodward County grand jury.

Morton stood calmly, with his hands behind his back, as details of the charges, which address travel reimbursement claims Morton made over a period of 20 months from Sept. 2003 through Feb. 2005, were read by District Judge Ray Dean Linder.

In the information read by Linder, the grand jury found cause to believe that Morton intentionally submitted “false, fictitious or fraudulent claim(s) for payment of public funds upon or against Woodward County . . . and Leslie Morton did in fact receive a benefit as a direct result of having made said false, fictitious or fraudulent claim(s).”

Linder unsealed envelopes containing the indictment charges, the grand jury’s final report and an accusation for removal from office, during an open court hearing at 11 a.m. Thursday. These documents had been sealed since last Friday when the grand jury completed its investigation.

Linder set bond at $5,000 per count, believing such an amount to be “reasonable and proper,” especially “with the report showing that sufficient evidence was received to allow 12 persons to make a determination that as many as 20 public offenses were committed by the sheriff in and for Woodward County.”

“Based on the findings contained on the 20 counts,” the judge also entered an order that Morton be immediately suspended from office pending a resolution of the case.

Despite finding just cause to suspend him, Linder noted that Morton still retains “the absolute right to presumption of innocence.”

Representatives from the Attorney General’s office and a deputy then escorted Morton to the Woodward County Jail for booking. He was bonded out by Thursday afternoon.

When asked for comment, Morton said he did not wish to make any statements at this time. Calls to his attorney, Mack Martin, were not returned.

The grand jury’s request to remove Morton from office was made to address concerns over other alleged misconduct on behalf of the sheriff in addition to the multiple counts of alleged fraud, according to Joel-lyn McCormick, director of the Attorney General’s Multicounty Grand Jury Unit.

As they heard evidence against Morton last week, the jury members “received examples of breach of fiduciary, the use of authority in non-law enforcement related matters, derelict of duty and conduct unbecoming an officer of the law” McCormick said.

“The evidence reflected a pattern of conduct,” she said. “He (Morton) disregards basic rules, basic laws, and basic responsibilities that we all must follow and certainly our elected officials should follow.”

Taking action to remove officials who engage in such conduct is important, McCormick said.

“In order for us to have a good, working, transparent government, it is absolutely necessary,” she said.

Unfortunately, McCormick said she sees officials engaging in misconduct “more that I expect to.”

“I’m always under the belief that each prosecution will be a deterrent for the next one,” she said. “So I’m amazed when I see conduct this blazing. I’m amazed when Morton didn’t learn from those before him.”

Morton’s indictment and suspension came as a shock to many, including Undersheriff Don Bradley, who has assumed the role of acting sheriff.

“I’m going to try my best,” Bradley said of the new responsibilities he will be taking on. “It (Morton’s absence) will leave us short handed, but we’ll continue to serve the public--it’s our job.

“The sheriff’s office has a hierarchy in place,” he explained. “We will step in where we have to and fill the void until it all gets figured out.”

Morton is scheduled to appear before the court again for formal arraignment proceedings on April 14 at 10 a.m.

Thursday’s proceedings, according to Mc Cormick, “addressed matters that weren’t previously resolved.”

In July of 2005, state auditors, working on a request for a special audit by the Woodward County Commissioners, determined Morton should have to pay back almost $17,000 in travel expenses claimed from 2003 to 2005.

In September of 2005, Morton paid back just under $7,000 of the requested $17,000 and Martin wrote a letter to the commissioners saying he considered the matter closed.

Editor’s Note: The complete final report of the Woodward County Grand Jury is on pages 14 and 15 of today’s Woodward News.