Arrest Record Leads To Suspension Of Tulsa School Counselor

A Tulsa school counselor is suspended and under investigation after News On 6 alerted the district to her criminal history.

The counselor spent more than half a year in prison and has been arrested three times this summer.

Arrests for domestic violence, assault and battery and aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon are not usually associated with elementary school counselors, but those are just a few of the arrests we found listed under Lana Hesley's name in online court records.

Hesley is trusted by students at Tulsa's Columbus Elementary, but PTA President Jennifer Juarez found some concerning pictures of her online, pictures from the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.

"I Googled her name, I put it in the search engine, and up popped her picture," Juarez said.

Hesley’s picture, and record, in Muskogee County - a deferred assault on a police officer, a suspended DUI and a conviction for DUI, which landed her in prison.

That's not all. Court records also show Hesley has been booked under several different last names.

This summer, Skiatook police arrested Hesley for domestic assault and battery for biting her husband. A week later, Skiatook police arrested her for DUI.

Thursday, Skiatook police said Hesley choked her husband and pulled a knife on him. For that, police arrested her for domestic assault and battery and aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon.

Hesley wasn't at school the next day; instead, she was in the Osage County Jail.

Juarez found out and contacted the district about Hesley, for the third time.

"I sent an email to Dr. Gist and I did get a response, but it's the same response I've always gotten, 'It'll be forwarded to human capital,'" Juarez said.

But right after we talked, the district suspended Hesley.

"How are you going to be a counselor at my kids' school and teach them how to handle issues in a healthy way if you can't do it yourself," Juarez asked.

One of Hesley's attorneys, Michon Hughes, said Hesley has been involved in domestic violence, but as the victim, saying Hesley's husband is the one who should be prosecuted.

But he hasn't been arrested, and he once asked for a protective order against Hesley.

TPS is paying Hesley while she's suspended.

A TPS spokesperson said if employees do not follow the law the district can take action.