(Stillwater, Okla.) – A convicted drug offender has been given four concurrent seven-year prison terms for going onto Whitestar Petroleum property at three locations in rural Payne County with the intent to steal copper wire and cable, and also being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Wayne Lee Ryan, 47, of Mulhall, was also given two concurrent one-year jail terms for possessing methamphetamine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia, as part of a plea bargain approved in court last week by District Judge Phillip Corley.
Ryan, who pleaded guilty to the six-count charge on Sept. 13, must make arrangements to begin paying $2,020 in assessments, along with court costs, on his release from prison, court records show.
The charge was filed after Payne County Sheriff’s Investigator Rockford Brown obtained a search warrant for Ryan’s property in rural Mulhall on Oct. 27, 2017, according to his affidavit.
Sheriff’s deputies found “marijuana, digital scales and small zip lock baggies together, glass pipes with residue, methamphetamine residue on the digital scale, Winchester 12 gauge semi-auto shotgun and 12 gauge ammunition, copper wire with green insulation, green wire sheathing in several locations on the property, mail addressed to Wayne Lee Ryan, prescription paperwork and prescription bottles,” in Ryan’s name, the affidavit said.
Before the search warrant was served, Payne County Sheriff’s Deputy Dan Nack interviewed Ryan, who “confessed to being directly involved in the theft of copper from Whitestar Petroleum,” at 56th and Major, 56th and Pleasant Valley, and at 14601 W. 32nd in rural Stillwater,” the affidavit said.
“The last location, photos were taken of Ryan and an unknown white male accomplice,” the affidavit said.
Court records show that Ryan was previously given probation for drug possession with intent to distribute in 1996 in McClain County, and drunk driving in 1999 in Noble County and also in 2002 in Bryan County.
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