Table of Contents
A District Attorney's office in LeFlore County, Oklahoma went into hiding mode when journalists arrived seeking public records about a controversial plea deal with an accused child predator. What should have been a routine two-minute records request turned into a 45-minute standoff that required viewer intervention to resolve.
The Case That Sparked Investigation
District Attorney Kevin Merritt is scheduled to enter a plea agreement on December 2nd with a defendant facing multiple charges for allegedly attacking young girls under the age of 11. When concerned parents reached out to independent journalists, they decided to investigate why prosecutors would offer what critics call a sweetheart deal to someone accused of predatory crimes against children.
The journalists had already reviewed the complete criminal court file and discovered references to potential extortion involving one of the victims. Rather than rush to judgment, they sought official documentation that might explain the prosecution's strategy.
The Disappearing Act
What happened next at the DA's office defied explanation. Staff members who were visible when the journalists first arrived suddenly vanished. Phone calls went unanswered. The front desk sat empty for nearly an hour during regular business hours.
"We've been here 30 minutes or more, 45 minutes. There was a person here. We've even called up there and we've not been able to get anybody to answer or come to the window," journalist Ron Durban explained to his live audience. "They're hiding from doing open records act requests."
The office had working phones, visible staff, and operating hours. They simply chose not to respond.
When Viewers Took Action
Frustrated by the stonewalling, the journalists shared the DA office phone number with their live stream audience. Within minutes, the phones at 918-647-2245 started ringing as viewers called to demand the office fulfill its legal obligations under Oklahoma's Open Records Act.
The phone rang audibly in the background of the livestream. Staff could be heard but refused to answer. Then something unexpected happened: they appeared to unplug the phones entirely.
"The phone's not ringing, y'all. Did y'all forget the number? Did they take it off the hook? Did they unplug the phone? I think they did unplug the phone," the journalists observed in real time.
The Breakthrough Moment
Only after sustained public pressure did Assistant District Attorney Sarah Jordan finally emerge from the back offices. Her first concern wasn't addressing the records request, but questioning why a journalist's phone wasn't secured in a bag.
The exchange revealed deeper problems within the office. When asked about their records custodian, Jordan admitted they don't have a specific person designated for that role. Under Oklahoma law, failing to maintain a records custodian during business hours constitutes a misdemeanor offense.
Questions That Demand Answers
The documents being sought might actually vindicate the DA's office rather than condemn it. The court file references a letter from a victim's family making financial demands that could constitute extortion, potentially compromising witness testimony and forcing prosecutors into an impossible position.
Yet the office's response to a routine records request raised more red flags than the plea deal itself. Why hide from journalists trying to get the full story? What happens when government offices simply refuse to function when faced with accountability?
The full confrontation was captured on livestream, including the moment staff finally emerged and the shocking admission about their records violations.
