(Stillwater, Okla.) — An ex-convict released from prison last year has been ordered to appear in Payne County District Court on Dec. 1 on a charge of possessing methamphetamine at the Cimarron Casino in Perkins.
Joseph Andrew McDowell, 23, of Denver, Colorado, could be given as much as a 10-year prison term and a $5,000 fine if convicted of the felony charge in Payne County.
According to the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, McDowell was convicted of assault with a dangerous weapon, second-degree burglary, conspiracy and aggravated assault and battery in Sequoyah County in 2012.
McDowell was given three 10-year prison terms and one five-year prison term, all to be served concurrently, court records show. He only served about one year in prison, since his Sequoyah County sentences were modified on judicial review, court records show.
In his Payne County case, McDowell was arrested at the Cimarron Casino by Perkins Police Investigator Charles Danker, who was sent there at 9 a.m. on Sept. 17 on a report of security staff finding an unknown white substance, according to his affidavit.
“Upon my arrival, I made contact with casino security, who advised me that a male subject was sitting at a machine playing and when he left the machine, a baggy was on the floor.
“Casino cleaning staff located the green square baggy and placed in on a chair thinking it was trash and contacted security to verify. Security observed the white powdery substance in the baggy and collected it and took it to the security office,” the affidavit alleged.
“Security contacted surveillance and they located who was at that machine at the time the baggy was on the floor,” the affidavit alleged.
McDowell was taken to the security office — where a small green square baggy containing a white powdery substance was placed on a desk, the affidavit alleged.
“I asked Joseph what he knew about the green baggy that was on the floor next to the machine he was playing on that field-tested positive for methamphetamine and Joseph stated he can 110% say it’s not his and he’s never seen it.
“Joseph stated if it was his, he would admit to it because there is no sense lying about it – there are cameras everywhere.
“I told Joseph that I would review the casino video and see what it shows,” the Perkins police investigator wrote in his affidavit.
“Joseph repeatedly stated that it wasn’t his and he knew nothing about it. Joseph stated he came into the casino with $10 and had won $1,150 so far,” the affidavit said.
“On surveillance video, Joseph and another unknown male come to the same machine at one point, and both were digging in their pockets, but no baggy was observed on the floor,” the affidavit said.
“I asked Joseph if he had anything illegal on him, and he stated no, and extended his hand out with his wallet and stated I could search it if I wanted to.
“I looked through the wallet and in the second card holder slot from the bottom of the wallet, I located a clear baggy that had Walgreens pill pouch stamped on it that contained a white powdery substance,” which field-tested positive for methamphetamine, the Perkins police investigator alleged in his affidavit.
“Joseph stated that wasn’t his, and that he found this wallet that he is using and carrying in a ditch in Colorado about three months ago. The wallet contained other casino cards, debit cards and DOC cards with Joseph McDowell’s name on them,” the affidavit alleged.
After being told he was under arrest for methamphetamine possession, McDowell asked if the investigator could gets his money from a female friend in the casino, the affidavit said.
“Joseph stated he gave her $500 to hold so he wouldn’t spend it,” the affidavit said.
When casino security brought a man and woman to him, the Perkins police investigator asked how they knew McDowell, the affidavit said.
Christopher Williamson, 42, who was subsequently arrested on an outstanding warrant from Canadian County, “stated they were in prison together,” the affidavit said.
When the Perkins police investigator told the woman that McDowell wanted the money she was holding for him, she handed him $500 in cash, which was placed in McDowell’s property, the affidavit said.
The couple asked to take McDowell’s car since it was their only ride, but McDowell said “absolutely not,” that he didn’t know them that well to trust them, the affidavit alleged.
“I informed Joseph that leaving it at the casino, they may tow it and he stated that was fine to let it be towed because he didn’t trust anyone to release it to,” the Perkins police investigator wrote in his affidavit.
***
