Okmulgee County Jailer Accused Of Assaulting Lighthorse Deputy Chief

Muscogee Creek Nation claims that a jailer at Okmulgee County Jail violated state law by refusing to work with Lighthorse Police officers and assaulting the Lighthorse Deputy Chief during an incident on Monday.

The dispute seems to stem from an incident on Monday between a Lighthorse officer and an Okmulgee jailer over whether a non-native suspect could be booked into the jail by tribal law enforcement. Muscogee Nation tells us, that during that incident a jailer assaulted the Lighthorse Deputy Chief, Dennis Northcross.

A tribal arrest warrant was issued for the jailer Matthew J. Douglas, and Lighthorse Police attempted to serve that warrant at the jail Wednesday afternoon but were denied entry into the jail by Okmulgee County Criminal Justice Authority staff, according to the Okmulgee County Sheriff's Office.

Matthew J. Douglas has been charged in Muscogee Nation District Court but the warrant for his arrest has been recalled.

The Attorney General's Office for the State of Oklahoma released a brief statement about the investigation.

“Attorney General Drummond has been in contact with all parties to ensure a peaceful and lawful resolution.”

Muscogee Creek Nation's Statement About The Situation With The Okmulgee County Jail

Muscogee Creek Nation Attorney General Geri Wisner spoke to the media on Thursday about the incident; See her full statement below.

The Violence Against Women Act of 2022 expanded Tribal authority to prosecute non-Indians who assault tribal justice officials. Based on this authority, the Muscogee Nation has issued an arrest warrant for Matthew J. Douglas, an Okmulgee County Jail official, for the charge of Protected Status Battery of Lighthorse Police Deputy Chief Dennis Northcross.

The incident took place at the Okmulgee County Jail on Monday, December 18, as Lighthorse Police Officers, acting under the cross-deputization commission of the Grand River Dam Authority, attempted to deliver a suspect arrested for fentanyl possession and driving recklessly in a school zone.

On Monday, December 18, a Lighthorse Police officer witnessed a driver moving on the wrong side of the road in a school zone. The officer affected a traffic stop and requested Okmulgee Police Department to attend the incident. Okmulgee Police Department informed him of their refusal to respond.

The officer noticed drug paraphernalia in the passenger seat and the suspect consented to a vehicle search. During a search of the suspect's person, the officer witnessed a rubber case fall from the suspect's waistband, which he then admitted to the officer, contained fentanyl.

Acting under the authority of a cross deputization commission with the Grand River Dam Authority, the officer affected an arrest and, as required by state law, transported the suspect to the Okmulgee County Jail for booking and processing.

Today, we are releasing bodycam video captured by Lighthorse Offices in the jail facility. In it you can clearly see jail officials belligerently refuse to accept a duly arrested suspect, threaten to fabricate charges against Lighthorse officers and of course the unprovoked assault on Deputy Chief Norcross.

The video shows, Matthew J. Douglas, a jail official, telling Lighthorse Police Deputy Chief Dennis Northcross that is was the jail's policy to not accept any suspects from Lighthorse Police. Later, you can hear jail staff say that they did not recognize Lighthorse as "real police."

Lighthorse Officers informed Mr. Douglas that it is a violation of state law for Okmulgee County Jail to refuse acceptance of any lawfully arrested person.

After much debate, Mr. Douglas threatened to fabricate charges for illegally bringing a weapon into the jail and arrest Lighthorse Police officers accountable for the environment of lawlessness they are creating.

None of these people are above the law.

Response From Okmulgee County Criminal Justice Authority:

Director of Law Enforcement for the Okmulgee County Criminal Justice Authority Tim Lawson said that the jail staff rejected the inmate because they didn’t think the Lighthorse cross deputization with GRDA included Okmulgee. After the incident and reading the statute, they confirmed it does and conceded and accepted the inmate. He says the whole thing was over in a matter of minutes.

Lawson said officers are not allowed into the secure booking area and when Dennis Northcross entered the secure area, the jailer put his hand on Northcross’ elbow to escort him out, then tried to block him from coming further into the secure area.

He does not believe it was an assault, but, was a mutual scuffle. He believes the jailer used the minimal amount of force to maintain the integrity of the secured area. Lawson said Deputy Chief Northcross committed three felonies by coming into the secure area: forcing his way into a correctional institute, bringing contraband into a jail (cell phone), and bringing ammunition into the jail (magazines on his belt.) However, Lawson said that the staff understands that Northcross has never worked at a jail and out of professional courtesy, never considered pursuing those charges.

Were Okmulgee Deputies Involved In The Incident?

Okmulgee County Sheriff Eddy Rice also released a statement to clear up some confusion around the incident, specifically, the rumors that an Okmulgee deputy was arrested. Douglas works for the Okmulgee County Criminal Justice Authority and is not an Okmulgee County deputy nor a tribal member.

"In response to misinformation provided to the media from unnamed sources, Sheriff Rice wants to provide correct information to our public. There have been no attempted arrests of any OCSO deputies by the Creek Nation Lighthorse and no intervention of the service of any federal warrants by anyone employed by the OCSO. There have been no interactions, violent or otherwise between the two law enforcement agencies."

Full Statement From the Okmulgee County Sheriff's Office:

On Monday, December 18, 2023, the Okmulgee County Sheriff's Office received a call for assistance at the Okmulgee County Jail.

The Okmulgee County Jail has its own administration and is overseen by the Okmulgee County Criminal Justice Authority. Upon arrival at the jail, there were 15-20 Muskogee Creek Nation Lighthorse tribal police present.

Tribal patrol units had blocked the roadways around the jail and parked tribal units, so they blocked on-duty OCSO patrol units in their parking spots, preventing them from responding to emergency calls. The call for assistance at the jail was related to an incident that occurred inside the jail between CNLH tribal police officers and jail staff. This situation was calmed, and CNLH tribal police left the grounds and the prisoner being presented was accepted after all proper booking procedures were completed.

On Tuesday evening at approx. 5 pm, Sheriff Rice learned that CNLH tribal police were at the Okmulgee County Jail with a TRIBAL arrest warrant for a NON-TRIBAL OCCJA Detention Officer who was involved in the altercation the previous day.

There were several phone conversations made by legal experts related to the issuance of this Tribal arrest warrant for a non-tribal citizen and the CNLH was denied entry into the jail by OCCJA staff. Three OCSO deputies were at their office located in the same building as the jail and observed several CNLH units circling the block and parked at the Okmulgee Library.

OCSO deputies were instructed to stay inside their office and absolutely no interactions took place between the two law enforcement agencies.

Sheriff Rice maintains his deputies have been positive and professional during these above-mentioned situations. NO OKMULGEE COUNTY DEPUTIES have been arrested, and CNLH has not attempted to arrest any OKMULGEE COUNTY DEPUTY.

Despite misinformation provided by the media, there have been no instances of deputies and/or tribal police pointing firearms at each other. Sheriff Rice also reminds the public that even under the McGirt ruling, the OCSO has continued to provide services to the tribal citizens of this county.

The OCSO routinely takes reports from tribal victims and investigates those cases until completion or unless a tribal suspect is generated, then the report is turned over to CNLH for further investigation. Sheriff Rice is proud of the job his deputies are doing in the field and the misinformation related to this incident is uncalled for and out of hand.

Governor Stitt's Statement:

"This is the direct effect of the broken system created by the McGirt decision. Without jurisdictional clarity, we are left with a patchwork system and heightened tensions. I am glad cooler heads prevailed and prevented the situation from escalating to a dangerous level, but this demonstrates the need for collective action. In response, I am gathering stakeholders to discuss practical solutions that keep our citizens and law enforcement safe while I continue to call on Congress and the courts to address this problem."

This is a developing story. Refresh for Updates.