Woodward ex-police officer investigated in meth evidence theft

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BY RANDY ELLIS Oklahoman
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Woodward, OK

A former Woodward police officer is under investigation by the OSBI for his admitted theft of methamphetamine from a police department evidence locker.

WOODWARD — A former Woodward police detective is under investigation by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation for his admitted theft of methamphetamine from an evidence locker.

Mike Morton admitted during an unrelated July 7 Oklahoma City federal court hearing that he took methamphetamine from the police evidence locker and gave it to his wife. The couple divorced in June.

Morton was a detective at the time of the hearing, but resigned a short time later, Woodward Police Chief Harvey Rutherford said.

“Everything has been turned over to the OSBI,” Rutherford said Monday.

Assistant District Attorney Mike Boring said he is awaiting results of the OSBI investigation before deciding whether to file criminal charges.

OSBI spokeswoman Jessica Brown said the investigation has been tedious because agents must reconcile evidence room paperwork with about 2,500 to 3,000 pieces of evidence to determine what items are missing.

“We’re hoping to have all the information to the prosecutor by the first of the year,” Brown said.

Officials said it was unclear what impact the theft could have on other cases.

Morton’s theft admission came during a federal child pornography hearing for Dean Leroy Freerksen III and Alicia Danielle Freerksen, who were convicted of taking digital pictures of each other engaging in sexual activity with girls ages 11 and 15.

During the hearing, Morton also admitted that he helped his then-wife, Christine Morton, concoct a story to tell a detective after she was arrested in May for breaking into the police evidence room to steal more methamphetamine.

Mike Morton admitted suggesting to Christine Morton that she claim she was there for alcohol, not methamphetamine. Christine Morton, 44, of Mutual, has a felony charge of injuring a public building pending against her in Woodward County.

Mike Morton’s admissions were made as attorneys for the Freerksens attacked his credibility.

The former detective revealed that the 11-year-old victim in the Freerksen case also said she had been raped by three teenage boys, including the grandson of a veteran Woodward police officer.

Defense attorney Teresa Brown told the judge no charges ever were filed against the three teenage boys and accused Mike Morton of using his position to “cause people to lie and ... cover up investigations.”

The attorney also questioned Morton about how another Woodward police officer was able to obtain access to pictures off the Freerksen’s computer that were used in a messy child custody case.

The other police officer wanted custody of his grandson and used pornographic pictures of his daughter-in-law found on the Freerksen’s computer to seek an emergency custody order from a judge.

“I don’t know how he got a hold of the photographs,” Morton responded.

The computer had been seized as part of the child pornography investigation.

Christine Morton testified at the same hearing and questioned her ex-husband’s truthfulness.

“My opinion would be that Michael, in getting what he wants, will do what he needs to do,” she testified. “It’s my experience that sometimes that’s truthful and sometimes that’s not.”

Mike Morton could not be located for comment.

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