Former Oklahoma Meth Dealer Turns Life Around

By Doug Warner, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Almost 20 years after he was busted for meth, Rocky Eslinger is now best friends with the officer who arrested him.

In 1989, Eslinger was doing and dealing meth, he said. He was arrested and lost everything, but maintained a sense of humor, said Drug Taskforce Agent Chuck Ligon, who arrested Eslinger.

"He made a funny," Ligon said. "He said, take these chains off of me and I bet I can beat you in a foot chase. That's the last thing he said to me."

The two doubted their paths would cross again, much less 20 years later they would be good friends.

"He's a friend; he's a buddy," Ligon said. "That's hard for some folks to understand."

Eslinger said while in jail he realized what meth had done to his life.

"It's a dark side, makes people be and do what normally they wouldn't do," he said.

Eslinger said he found a new faith in God after talking with a fellow inmate. He said it was a blessing since the man was only in jail one day because he was mistaken for someone else.

Eslinger's second blessing came when he saw Ligon again. Both men had found spiritual peace, and now found themselves working together for Eslinger's early release.

Eslinger got out and now he works as a drug addiction counselor.

"You know I get just a high on life everyday today, as I did back then doing meth," he said. "The good thing about today is, when I go down the road, I watch through the windshield. I don't watch through the rearview mirror anymore."

NEWS 9 will join other Oklahoma TV stations in airing "Crystal Darkness," a documentary on the effects of meth, at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.