Owasso Mom Accused Of Selling Drugs To Raise Bail For Son's Drug Charges

Police say an Owasso woman sold drugs she found in her son's vehicle to raise money to bail him out on a drug charges.

Owasso officers identify the woman as Shannon Crawford, 37. They say her son is Tommy Burlison, 20.

The investigation began at about 4 a.m. Thursday June 23, 2016 when police answered a call about a car burglary at the Best Western near 76th Street North and Highway 169.

The victim told officers someone had broken into his car overnight and stolen his debit card, drivers license, social security card and electronics charging and auxiliary cables. He told police his debit card had then been used at the QuikTrip at 96th Street North and Garnett, where officers say surveillance video led them to believe the burglar was Burlison, who also stayed at the Best Western. 

Police say they found Burlison in a room at the hotel with a bag containing 203 grams of marijuana, as well as small baggies of marijuana, a scale, a bong and $1,259 in mostly small bills. They say they also found the charging and auxiliary cables. They booked Burlison into jail on multiple complaints, including possession of drugs within 1,000 feet of a child care center with intent to distribute.

Later Thursday morning, an Owasso detective got a tip that Burlison's mother, Shannon Crawford, was selling drugs to raise money to bond her son out of jail.

Owasso Police deputy chief, Jason Woodruff said, "It's the first in recent memory that we've had a loved one trying to sell off the person’s drugs to raise bail money, but definitely something you don't run into every day."

According to Detective Nancy Bell, the caller said Crawford had been allowed to pick up her son's vehicle at the hotel after his arrest.

"Well, you have to delve into what you have probable cause to search. If the person that you are there to arrest is inside a hotel room, and their car is parked in the parking lot, doesn't give you probable cause to search their car," Woodruff said.

The caller said once Crawford got the vehicle home, she found a duffel bag full of drugs inside, took it into the house where she weighed and counted the drugs, then began calling and texting people to sell them.

Woodruff said, "Basically calling around, saying she had drugs that had come out of her son’s car and she was trying to sell them."

Police said they set up surveillance and pulled her over after seeing her leave in a car. Bell said Crawford told her she found the drugs in the vehicle and was trying to get rid of them. She said she knew Crawford was a former detention officer and told her the correct thing to do would have been to call law enforcement. 

Woodruff said, "Those of us in the law enforcement community, we would like to hold ourselves to a higher standard, and hope someone would know better to do that."

According to the arrest report, Crawford told police three of her children -- ages 1, 2 and 15 -- were at home with Crawford's mother. Police said they had her call her mother to have her remove the children. They say Crawford then consented to a search of her home and they say they found the duffel bag in a closet. They say the duffel bag contained 200 grams of marijuana, 10 hits of acid and other drugs.

Police booked Crawford into jail on multiple counts, including drug possession with intent to distribute, possession of drugs within 1,000 feet of a school or park and child abuse. 

Both have bonds set at nearly $60,000 and are expected to appear before a judge next week.