By Conrad Dudderar
Associate Editor
A Canadian County sheriff’s deputy is being credited for his thorough investigative efforts to take criminals off the street – including those caught in a large auto theft ring.
Sgt. Maurice “Mo” James this week earned the American Legion Law Enforcement Officer of the Year award for Canadian County.
Paul Ray, of American Legion Post 353 in Mustang, made the presentation at the April 15th Canadian County Commissioners’ meeting. Ray presented James with an awards citation and plaque on behalf of the Oklahoma Department of the American Legion and Mustang Post 153.
Sgt. James said he greatly appreciated being honored by Mustang’s American Legion post.
“It means a lot to me,” the Canadian County sheriff’s deputy said.
Ray referred to the “long list of contributions” James has made to Canadian County.
“When deputy Sgt. James is on the street, crime does not pay,” he told the audience. “However, it does result in long vacations at the Oklahoma penal institutions.
“The number of drugs, guns, stolen and seized vehicles, and U.S. currency recovered – that is attributed to Sgt. James – is really astonishing. That work is complemented by the fact that his actions have resulted in 34 criminals being removed from the streets of Canadian County.”
James has been working on a major international auto theft investigation, with $1.3 million in stolen vehicles already recovered across the country.
“In my spare time, I investigate high-end auto theft,” he explained.
Investigators learned the thieves were stealing vehicles by selling them after altering their VIN (vehicle identification) numbers. A tag agency – one that’s not in Canadian County – was found to be operating corruptly.
“These were $100,000-plus vehicles they would steal,” Canadian County Undersheriff Kevin Ward said.
The thieves were cloning VIN numbers and taking them off other wrecked vehicles, then obtaining vehicle titles through the tag agent.
Sgt. James has proven to be a great asset to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and Federal Bureau Investigation in learning the innerworkings of this sophisticated car theft scheme.
“I created a list of 200 vehicles they allowed to go through fraudulently,” James shared. “We’ve been working for about a year and a half getting them recovered and people arrested – from Florida, all the way to Arizona, up to Wisconsin and Chicago (Illinois).”
In March, Canadian County Commissioners approved an interlocal agreement between the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and the Canadian County Sheriff’s Office.
This allows Sgt. James to train OBN’s task force officers and agents as they prepare for drug interdiction activities.
James has worked the past couple years as a Canadian County deputy, having previously retired from a 30-year career with the Oklahoma City Police Department.
Undersheriff Ward credited the veteran law officer for both the knowledge he possesses and his “rookie”-like enthusiasm to catch criminals.
The American Legion’s national organization consistently honors a Law Enforcement Officer of the Year through local posts across the U.S.
“Today, the Mustang post is recognizing the Canadian County Sheriff’s Office for their outstanding deputy,” Ray explained. “It’s truly a pleasure to work with the Canadian County Sheriff’s Office and it’s truly a pleasure to work with Sgt. James.”
ODDS ‘N ENDS …
Among other business at their April 15th weekly meeting, Canadian County Commissioners approved:
- A resolution for a Route 66 improvement project in the five-year County Improvements for Roads and Bridges (CIRB) Plan. This 13-mile project, from Fort Reno to the Cherokee Trading Post in District 3, will be done in sections.
- A resolution authorizing the road names Poppy Lane and Gigi Way for private drives in unincorporated Canadian County for 9-1-1- addressing purposes.
- A resolution to dispose of a junked cold freezer for the Canadian County Health Department.
Undersheriff Ward presented the weekly county jail report showing a total population of 159 inmates, with 144 housed at the El Reno detention center and 15 others in contracted counties.
The total count is up by seven from last week as 13 prisoners await transfer to state prison.
