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  • Chelsea Chief of Police Jeremy Murrell is led to a jail cell by Rogers County deputies after been taken into custody on multiple charges of obtaining controlled dangerous substances (CDS) by fraud on Friday morning. Tom Fink

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August 13, 2010

UPDATE - Chelsea Chief of Police arrested on drug charges

Tom Fink Staff Reporter

CLAREMORE — Rogers County Sheriff’s deputies Friday morning arrested the chief of police in Chelsea on charges of illegally obtaining “thousands” of opiate-based prescription pills in an 11-month period.

Working jointly with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and the Rogers County Drug Task Force, sheriff’s investigators determined Jeremy Murrell, 34, to have been obtaining more than 3,000 opiate-based prescription pills by fraud from August 2009 through July 2010.

Rogers County Sheriff’s Deputy Johnny O’Mara said (sheriff’s) investigators were made aware of a potential problem through the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs.  

“In our investigation, we found there to be indications that Murrell had previously been involved in prescription fraud while serving as the police chief in Buffalo, Okla.,” O’Mara said.

Murrell was later hired to serve as the Chelsea Chief of Police and it during this time when Rogers County Sheriff’s Office investigators began investigating claims he was involved in illegally obtaining prescription medications by fraud.

“We interviewed about ten doctors and obtained records from ten pharmacies while investigating the case,” O’Mara said. “All the pills were purchased through pharmacies via prescriptions.”

Reports allege Murrell did not inform his doctors he was being given prescription medications from other doctors, O’Mara said.

“This is very alarming,” said Sheriff Scott Walton.  “Prescription drug abuse is out of control and this (case) only serves as an example that there’s nobody exempt from the dangers of addiction.”

Walton said it is “unfortunate” that Murrell’s arrest means the Chelsea Community is now facing the reality of having to restructure their police department.

“The saddest part of all of this is the hit that law enforcement as a whole has to take,” Walton said. “Every man and woman who wears a badge is going to have to withstand the backlash of this and it’s not deserved.

“The men and women who serve in law enforcement are solid, honest people and cases like this cast a shadow that is difficult to move away from,” he said. “These cases are the exception,” Walton said, adding that the sheriff’s offices are “ready and willing to assist the Chelsea community” in whatever law enforcement needs they have during this difficult time.

Murrell faces twelve counts of Obtaining Controlled and Dangerous Substances by Fraud. A warrant for Murrell’s arrest was issued with a twelve-thousand dollar bond.  

Murrell was booked into the Rogers County Jail without incident Friday morning.



 

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