Wagoner County Man Claims Innocence in Rogers County Crime

An Oklahoma man says he's at his wit's end after he was charged with a crime 18 months ago that he says he didn't commit. 

He says he's spent thousands of dollars to defend himself, but the case in Rogers County just keeps moving forward. Jason Cole says he got a call in August of 2020 that there was a warrant out for his arrest in Rogers County. 

"At first I thought oh it's no big deal, they will clear it up, but now I'm looking at it like, what are they really trying to pull here," he said. 

He says he was even more surprised when he saw a picture of the suspect from the surveillance video.  He insists it is not him. 

"The guys got a tattoo on his arms on the outside, I don't have tattoos on the outside of my arms, none of that right there, and they still haven't looked at this photo or nothing, like, I don't know," he said. 

He says he was arrested and spent a month in jail before he could afford to post bond.  He says he's $14,000 in debt between the bond, his first attorney, and his ankle monitor, and now needs to hire a new lawyer. 

"It's just been a long mess, and I'm still wearing this ankle monitor and I haven't even been up here to cause any problems," he said. 

He says he didn't do this crime, which was running from police in a stolen vehicle. In January, a judge ruled there was enough evidence to order Cole to stand trial, although he's hoping the DA will drop the charges.

"There are a lot of other things I'd rather be buying with that money, a lot of time I'll need money but I'm selling everything I've got and sold my properties just to get these lawyers taken care of, and the bondsmen," he said. 

The Rogers County District Attorney's Office says they can't comment on an open case. They say Cole's Attorney needs to present their evidence at the next court date.