Co-Defendant Agrees to Turn State’s Evidence Against Rinehart

December 16, 2008

By Wayne Fuller

Earlier today, Walter Pelfrey agreed to turn state’s evidence against Kenneth Brent Rinehart and Timothy Pope in a plea bargain arranged with Oklahoma County prosecutors. Pelfrey was charged on April 5, 2007, with illegally funneling campaign contributions to the controversial anti-gay Oklahoma County Commissioner through intermediary Pope’s political action committee.

Pelfrey pled guilty to one count of making excessive campaign contributions to Rinehart. With the plea he agreed to testify for the state and in turn received a one year deferred sentence and fined $500.   

Rinehart faces trial on February 9, 2009, for a number of felony counts including money laundering, perjury, and campaign contribution violations. If convicted, he could face several decades in the state penitentiary. 

During his tenure as county commissioner, Rinehart gained infamy with a number of stances against gays. Most notably was a pre-election campaign gimmick that saw him release a crudely drawn comic book lambasting fellow county officials and the gay community, who he claimed were “pedafiles”. Rinehart lost his November bid to retain his office and will leave the post next month.