Nearly a week after federal and state authorities arrested 44 area residents on drug complaints, officials still have not released the names of those arrested on state charges.
A complaint unsealed Dec. 11 in U.S. District Court Oklahoma City, charged 24 people with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute oxycodone, a controlled substance.
Twenty more people were arrested the same day on state charges. Ten individuals were believed to have been booked into the McClain County Jail and seven in the Cleveland County Detention Center, The Transcript has learned. It was unclear the whereabouts of the other three.
Cleveland County District Attorney Greg Mashburn said Wednesday that he could not release the names of those arrested Dec. 11 because some may not be charged in District Court.
"I will be putting lives in danger," he said.
Mashburn expected to have a decision regarding criminal charges by Friday or early next week.
According to federal authorities, the arrests come after a year-long investigation called "Operation Pill Box" into the unlawful obtaining, use and distribution of the prescription drug oxycodone, a synthetic pain relief medication available by prescription. Oxycodone products are commonly abused throughout the United States. OxyContin is the brand name of a time-release formula of oxycodone.
Five members of the Compton family: Joshua Ryan Compton, 24, and Jeremy Scott Compton, 23, both of Norman; Zacharry Lawrence Compton, 21, Stephan Scott Compton, 46, and Deborah Jeann Compton, 44, all of Noble, along with a list of other defendants are accused of trafficking oxycodone.
According to a federal court affidavit, the Comptons, who own Compton's Air Quality Experts, 5450 Huettner Drive in Norman, also are accused of storing the drugs at their homes and business.
These cases are the result of a joint investigation including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Norman Police Department and the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office, authorities said. The investigation was assisted by the Cleveland County District Attorney's Office, McClain County Sheriff's Office and the United States Marshals Service.
A search warrant affidavit that was filed in Cleveland County District Court to search the Comptons' business revealed the investigation into the drug ring dates back to September 2008.
According to the affidavit, a confidential informant told Norman police that Josh Compton was and had been selling large amounts of Oxycontin in and around the Norman area for several years. The informant said the Comptons "sold Oxycontin to at least 50 different people each month."
The informant advised police that Josh Compton's brothers Jeremy and Zach Compton were heavy Oxycontin users, the affidavit stated. Zach Compton often acted as a runner for Josh Compton. When people ordered drugs from Josh Compton, Zach Compton would deliver the pills and take the money from the sale back to Josh Compton.
According to the affidavit, the informant told investigators that Steve Compton, who is Josh and Zach Compton's father, received a monthly prescription of Oxycontin.
"Steve Compton used part of the pills obtained with the prescription and sold the remainder of the prescription to Josh Compton," the affidavit stated. The informant also told police that Deb Compton, who is Steve's wife and Zach and Josh Compton's mother, acts as a "gatekeeper" for the pills and money.
Meghan McCormick 366-3539 mmccormick@normantranscript.com
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