Two held; probation check leads to arrests

By James Beaty
Senior Editor

Fri, May 16 2008

— A check by some state probation and parole officers officer officers has resulted in McAlester police arresting two people on drug and stolen property complaints.
City police were called after the probation and parole officers went to a McAlester home to check on some clients, said McAlester Police Det. Capt. Don Hass.
Police arrested Ronald Gary Lands, 62, of McAlester, on initial complaints of possession of stolen property, possession of marijuana and possession of a controlled dangerous substance.
They also arrested Jennifer Kate Turner, 30, of McAlester, on initial complaints of possession of stolen property and possession of a controlled dangerous substance.
Hass said city police were contacted by state probation and parole officers Scott Spears and Tom Hampton around 4 p.m. on Monday after the two men went to the address in the 400 block of East Krebs Avenue.
While at the residence, the officers noticed a Ford 250 truck with an altered Vehicle Identification Number, Hass said. They then decided to run a check on the truck’s tag, he said.
“The tag came back stolen from Owasso,” Hass said.
Officers also learned that something else didn’t match.
“The VIN checked to a 1999 truck, but this was a 2005 truck,” Hass said.
McAlester police officers Joe Calistro, Loyd London and Jeremy Orr went to the residence with the parole officers, according to Hass.
While the officers were at the scene, Lands arrived at the residence, Hass said.
The officers went to a back room where a door was locked. Turner emerged from the room, but another individual is believed to have slipped out of a back window, according to Hass.
Based on information gathered at the scene, McAlester police Det. Frankie McClendon obtained a search warrant, Hass said.
During a search of the premises, police found substances believed to be methamphetamine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia, Hass said. They also found three vehicles with altered tags, including one where the original VIN number had been ground off, he said.
Police are still searching for at least two other individuals in connection with the case.