Nowata County Deputy Arrested For Embezzlement

Investigators say they are working to figure out if Nowata County Deputy Robert Popp embezzled money using a county-issued gas card. This is the second arrest of a law enforcement official in Nowata County in the last week.

“It is disappointing,” said Nowata County Deputy Anthony Lein.

“We all go into this profession knowing that we should hold ourselves to a higher standard and that we are not above the law,” said Lein.

Sheriff Terry Barnett says the office was getting ready to pay a bill when they realized some of the numbers were off. An investigation led Sherriff Barnett to believe Deputy Robert Popp misused a county-issued gas card.

“I just hope people see that just because there is an incident like this that not all law enforcement officers are this way,” said Lein.

“I mean, we have deputies and good detention officers here and good dispatchers and other employees of the Sheriff’s Office that are hardworking, are loyal, are honest,” said Nowata County Sheriff Terry Barnett.

Deputies say they got enough information to search Popp’s home for documents. Sheriff Barnett says she is working with outside agencies to make sure every county employee is following the law. She says new policies, like extensive background checks, are just one way to achieve that goal.

“She is trying to send a message that things are being taken care of here and she is using resources outside of herself to show that this is a professional agency and the things that have gone on in the past aren’t going to be tolerated.

The Sheriff says Popp bonded out of jail. The investigation is ongoing.