Published: September 25, 2005 01:15 am            

3 area inmates win parole

By Cass Rains Staff Writer



Of the 14 inmates protested by the Garfield County District Attorney's Office at the September meeting of the state Pardon and Parole Board, two were recommended for early release and one was paroled to serve an unrelated consecutive sentence for another crime.

James Thomas Cooper II, Thomas Allen Knox and Jason Tarkington were recommended for parole at this month's meeting at Joseph L. Harp Correctional Facility in Lexington.

Cooper was serving six years for possession of a controlled dangerous substance after a felony conviction and began serving his sentence in May 2004. Cooper had two prior convictions.

Cooper was arrested by deputies in possession of a 40-caliber semi-automatic pistol, drugs and drug paraphernalia.

Cooper previously had been convicted of first-degree burglary.

"We protested the possibility of a parole for him in a written letter before his appearance this month and I will send a representative to protest in person when he is considered next month," said District Attorney Cathy Stocker.

Cooper was the only violent offender from Garfield County who was not denied parole, Stocker said.

Knox is in prison for four felonies, with the sentences running concurrently. The longest sentence is for seven years, and he has been in prison only since July 2003.

Knox failed multiple times to live by the rules of probation before he was sent to prison.

"Based upon his history, it is hard to imagine why the Pardon and Parole Board considers him a viable candidate for parole after serving such a small portion of his prison sentence," Stocker said.

In November 2001, Tarkington was sent to prison from Kay County on possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance.

Tarkington was sentenced to 10 years in prison, with four years of the sentence suspended, after accosting a man at a car wash with a pellet gun and demanding money in 2001.

The would-be victim thwarted Tarkington's attack by using the high-pressure hose of the car wash against him.

He began serving his Garfield County sentence for attempted robbery with an imitation firearm in April of 2002.

"The sentence on our attempted robbery case is four years imprisonment followed by six years of probation so a recommendation for parole at this time, even though the crime is a violent one, is not surprising since he has served three years and five months of that four-year term," Stocker said.

Those denied parole that were protested by Stocker's office include:

? Derek Lynn Bell; Garfield County, five years for knowingly concealing stolen property after violating his probation.

? James R. Bibbee; Garfield County, life sentence for second-degree murder.

? Dick Hartling; Garfield County; 15-year sentence for burglary of an automobile while he was serving a deferred sentence for possession of a controlled dangerous substance and feloniously carrying a firearm.

? Jason Benjamin Hughes; Garfield County, serving eight years concurrently for assault with a dangerous weapon and violation of his probation.

? Randall Wayne Potter; Garfield County, serving seven years for the theft of anhydrous ammonia.

? Otis Tolman; Garfield County, 15 years for three counts of second-degree rape by instrumentation.

? Arland B. Millwood; Canadian County, serving a life sentence concurrently with a 20-year sentence for first-degree rape and forcible sodomy.

? Ernie L. Schritter; Canadian County, 25-year concurrent sentence for a charge of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and maintaining a dwelling where drugs are kept or sold.

? Donald Lee Wainman; Canadian County, 10 years, with five suspended, after being convicted of unlawful manufacture of a CDS, methamphetamine.

? David D. Dunham; Kingfisher County; three years and a fine of $3,000.

Another inmate from Garfield County was passed to the second stage of the two-stage parole process for violent offenders.

Jose Luis Ventura was convicted of robbery by force for his role in two armed robberies in July 2003. He was given a 10-year sentence, with six years suspended.

Stocker will again protest his application for parole at the October meeting of the Parole Board.

Two inmates were recommended for parole to a consecutive sentence, David Earp and Johnny Kevin Parker.

Earp is serving two concurrent 8-year sentences for unlawfully manufacturing meth. He has been in prison only two years, since September 2003.

Parker is in prison for two property crimes from Canadian County.

If approved by the governor, Parker still has to serve six years on a drug crime from Oklahoma County, followed by sentences from Pontotoc County

"Unfortunately, neither recommendation is surprising since it is so common that property and drug offenders are paroled after serving a fraction of their sentences, Stocker said.

There were no inmates up for parole with convictions in Blaine or Grant this month.