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August 27, 2010

Melson pleads guilty in Land Office case

The Edmond Sun

EDMOND — A former Commissioners of the Land Office audit director has pleaded guilty to embezzling almost $1.2 million from the agency, Attorney General Drew Edmondson said Friday.

Roger Q. Melson Jr. of Edmond pleaded guilty Friday morning to 174 counts of embezzlement for allegedly taking more than $1.16 million in royalty payments intended for the CLO. He was indicted in June 2009 by the Multicounty Grand Jury for allegedly diverting CLO royalty payments to his own personal use.

Melson, who worked for the agency for 21 years, entered a blind plea in Oklahoma County District Court. Prosecutors will have no control over Melson’s sentence, but Edmondson said his office will still ask that Melson’s punishment include full restitution and prison time. Melson is set for formal sentencing Nov. 9.

The attorney general said Melson’s scheme hurt Oklahoma schools and students.

“Oklahoma schools face a severe budget crisis and Melson’s criminal actions have deprived our educational system and the students it serves of much needed funds,” Edmondson said. “Just over $1 million will buy stacks of textbooks, computers and lab equipment. Instead of educational needs, that money vanished into Melson’s pockets.”

The grand jury accused Melson of creating and registering with the Secretary of State an entity called Commissioner of the Land Office and opening a bank account referenced Roger Q. Melson Jr. DBA Commissioner of the Land Office. Grand jurors said Melson diverted almost 200 CLO payments to this bogus entity during a five-year period.

“I greatly appreciate the conscientiousness and determination of the Attorney General and his fine staff in this matter,” Secretary of State Mike Hunter said. “I am confident that the theft of over a million dollars that should have gone to schools and colleges will be dealt with appropriately by the District Court. Finally, I want everyone to know that we have worked with the commissioners and the Legislature this past year to successfully reform and modernize the Land Office so that this kind of thing will never happen again.”

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