Lawman In Trouble With The Law

A man sworn to put away criminals is in jail himself. The lead investigator for the Creek County District Attorney's office was arrested because his wife says he came into their home at 3 a.m., which

Thursday, July 26th 2007, 8:39 pm

By: News On 6

A man sworn to put away criminals is in jail himself. The lead investigator for the Creek County District Attorney's office was arrested because his wife says he came into their home at 3 a.m., which violates a protective order she filed six days ago. As News On 6 crime reporter Lori Fullbright reports, this is just the beginning of this law officer's legal troubles.

Records show this is the second allegation of Ed Willingham Jr. violating the protective order. In addition to the marital issues, Willingham has also been accused of molesting a young girl.

Ed Willingham Jr. is a longtime employee of the Creek County District Attorney's office, and even ran for sheriff a few years ago. Everything started unraveling for him on July 4th, when his wife told Sapulpa police her husband had a prescription drug problem, and had grabbed her by the arms and locked her in a bathroom.

On July 17th, the OSBI was asked to investigate allegations Willingham inappropriately touched a young girl. July 20th, his wife filed a protective order against him, saying in part, "he had threatened to kill her and would shoot at deputies if they came to arrest him." He filed for divorce that day, then later in the day his wife told deputies Willingham already violated the order taking several items from the house, including her wedding ring, titles, birth certificates and Zanax.
July 26th, his wife called 911 to say Willingham had woken her up at home to inform her he was dropping the divorce.

"I think everything's okay now. He did come out here and he's gone now," said his wife in a call to 911.

"He did come out there?" asked the 911 operator.

"Yes, he did," responded Willinghamâ€™s wife.

"Okay," said the 911 operator.

"I told him that I called 911 and get the hell out of here," the woman told 911.

"Okay, did he make any contact with you?" the 911 operator asked.

"Yes, he came inside the house," said the suspectâ€™s wife.

"He came inside the house?" asked the 911 operator.

"Uh-huh," responded Mrs. Willingham.

Deputies arrested Willingham around noon at the Creek County Courthouse. Willingham's boss and close friend, District Attorney Max Cook, decided it was time to act and fired Willingham. Cook then sent a letter to the Attorney General's Office requesting he be disqualified from any cases having to do with Willingham since heâ€™d been a long time employee and a friend to the office.

Willingham was removed from the Creek County jail and transferred to Okmulgee County for his own protection, since he'd helped put many of the inmates in there. Willingham will be brought back to Creek County Friday morning for a bail hearing. His attorney says Willingham denied being at his wife's house that morning, although deputies say he left behind paperwork, showing he was withdrawing the divorce petition.

Willingham also told his attorney he could make bail. Records show Willingham had more than $11,000 in cash on him when he was arrested.

Watch the video: Former Creek County DA Employee Arrested