A Rogers County Commissioner is facing new indictments and removal from his office. Attorney General Scott Pruitt announced the multicounty grand jury decision on Thursday. The accusation for removal is for Commissioner Michael Earl Helm. The accusation for removal requests the Rogers County District Court to order the immediate suspension of Helm from his commissioner duties pending his trial.
Helm was already facing grand jury indictments of one count of conspiracy and one count of embezzlement exceeding $1,000. Those indictments allege Helm selected a private contractor to perform highway improvements without going through the public bidding process. He’s also accused of selling county owned scrap metal and failing to deposit the money into county accounts. Those indictments were issued in July.
The new indictments handed down by the grand jury are one count of embezzlement exceeding $1,000 and one count of embezzlement exceeding $500. Helm is accused of selling a county pickup truck and not turning the money over to the county. If convicted, Helm could spend up to five years in prison and have to pay a fine for the first indictment. The second lesser accusation would land him up to one year in prison and fines if Helm is convicted.
Helm has been investigated by the multicounty grand jury since 2013 after thousands of Rogers County citizens signed a grand jury petition asking for Rogers County officials to be investigated.
