Ex-Reserve Tulsa County Sheriff's Office Deputy Could Face Punishment

A spokesman for the Oklahoma Department of Corrections prisoner probation office say Robert Bates who served time in prison for fatally shooting an unarmed black man could face punishment if the agency determines he broke the rules when he was seen at a bar earlier this year.

The ex-reserve Tulsa County Sheriff's Office deputy was spotted in January 2018 by another patron sitting at the bar of a Tulsa restaurant in apparent violation of the terms of his parole, which prohibit him from consuming alcohol or being in places that serve it.

The incident was caught on video.

Corrections spokesman Matt Elliott said Thursday the department is probing the allegation and if Bates is found to have violated the terms of his probation, the department will "treat him like we do all former inmates who violate their supervision."

Elliott says possible punishments include being placed under house arrest, wearing a GPS monitor or submitting to increased urine analysis tests, among others.

Bates was released in October 2017 after serving 16 months for manslaughter for shooting and killing Eric Harris during a botched illegal gun sting.

3/23/2018 Related Story: Court Denies Petition For Rehearing Of Bob Bates

The Associated Press contributed to this report.