Burglary Victim Frustrated With New State Questions

A Tulsa man is outraged that a repeat offender keeps avoiding prison. The suspect has a long list of felonies but is going to drug court for a second time.

This will only get worse after July 1 because state questions 780 and 781 take effect. It means you can get caught possessing drugs, not just marijuana but meth, heroin, K2 and various other hard drugs repeatedly and receive a misdemeanor every time. Also, you can get caught embezzling money from your employer, writing bad checks, or having stolen property and it’ll be a misdemeanor, no matter how many times it happens. Basically, meaning it’s a ticket as long as it’s under $1,000.

Jason Haley, a victim of theft doesn’t like it. He’s frustrated by the suspects history, saying the victim stole a motorcycle title, personal financial information, a W-2 form, and various things like that.

Records show the suspect, Daniel Castillo, avoided prison for three theft felonies after going to drug court in 2009, then in 2015 for stealing and only got a four-year suspended sentence. Two years later Castillo picked up eight more felonies, but instead of prison, he’s going back to drug court.

"There's lots of us victims out there and we feel our rights don't matter," said Jason Haley.

State question 780 and 781 promised that proceeds would go to the counties so they could treat people with addictions but when reading the law’s description, who gets the money and where that money goes is very vague. Many people are worried there will be less treatment, not more.