Prosecutors charge VA security chief

Saturday, July 9th 2005, 11:03 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Oklahoma County prosecutors have charged the security chief at the Oklahoma City Veterans Administration Medical Center with concealing stolen property for allegedly having illegal tags on his sport utility vehicle, court documents show.

Frederick K. Smith was driving an SUV with a personalized Oklahoma police license plate when a Highway Patrol trooper stopped him in northwest Oklahoma City on May 19.

``Mr. Smith was stopped because this license tag did not go to this vehicle,'' according to an affidavit filed in the case.

The license plate checked to Smith, the affidavit states, but it was supposed to be on a 1993 car _ not the SUV.

Officials also found that the license plate had two validation decals that also didn't match the SUV, but had been issued to workers at the VA hospital, the affidavit states. One had been reported stolen on May 18.

The SUV was impounded after an investigation ``revealed this vehicle had never been registered in Oklahoma or any other state,'' the affidavit said.

The charge was filed in late June. An arrest warrant was issued for Smith, 44, who surrendered at the Oklahoma County jail on July 1 and was released on $2,000 bail.

Two days later, he reported to police that he had found a ``suspicious Oklahoma license decal'' stuck to his license plate, a police report states.

Smith told police it had happened before and the sticker turned out to be stolen.

``He advised he has some disgruntled employees,'' police said in the report.