Grand jury issues sealed indictment

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A multicounty grand jury looking into alleged "ghost employees" at the state Health Department issued a sealed indictment Thursday.

The indictment is scheduled to be unsealed during a 3 p.m.

hearing Friday before Oklahoma County District Judge Jerry Bass.

Jurors this week focused on former state Sen. Jim E. Lane, who was at the Health Department for 10 years before quitting last May.

Health agency officials have alleged he was one of the ghost employees who were on the payroll but did little or no work.

Rep. Mike Mass, chairman of the Oklahoma Democratic Party, was among those testifying before the panel this week. It was his second appearance.

Lane, who lives in McAlester, served in the state Senate in the 1970s.

Rebecca Lane, the ex-senator's wife, was fired from the Health Department last June and indicted six months later on 20 felony counts of obtaining money by false pretense.

The Health Department scandal broke in 2000 with the arrest of then-Deputy Commissioner Brent VanMeter, who was convicted in a federal bribery case.

More than 30 employees of the health agency were fired after VanMeter was arrested, including several alleged ghost workers.