Convict back in custody after tricking prison

By SHEILA STOGSDILL World Correspondent - 11/7/2009


MIAMI, Okla. — A convicted drug trafficker who was serving a life prison sentence was arrested early Friday after using a fake court document to hoodwink the Lawton Correctional Facility into releasing him.

Richard Lynn Dopp, 47, had been sleeping at his mother's rural Ottawa County home when he was taken into custody about 2:30 a.m. and returned to the Department of Corrections, Ottawa County District Attorney Eddie Wyant said.

Dopp was released from the Lawton Correctional Facility, a private prison, Oct. 5 after the prison received a fraudulent modified judgment and sentence report.

Dopp was sentenced in 1998 for trafficking a controlled dangerous substance — marijuana.

He also was convicted of maintaining a residence where a controlled dangerous substance is kept and of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The bogus release document indicates that Wyant attended a July 27 court hearing at which Dopp's no-parole life sentence was modified to 10 years and a $25,000 fine was forgiven.

The document also has an Ottawa County District Court file stamp dated Aug. 11.

No copy of the document was ever filed in Ottawa County District Court, Wyant said.

Wyant did not attend the meeting and was the first person to notice Dopp's erroneous release when DOC officials sent a notice saying he had been freed. Wyant learned that the sham legal document bore the forged signature of Osage County Associate District Judge Bruce David Gambill.

A seal on the back of the document also was bogus.

DOC spokesman Jerry Massie said the document looked legitimate.

The department will develop safeguards to prevent this type of escape again, he said.

Dopp was sentenced in 1982 to two years in prison for manufacturing a controlled dangerous substance and preventing a witness from attending court, records show.

In 1986 he was sentenced to seven years for distribution and possession of a controlled dangerous substance, manufacturing and illegal possession of drugs.


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Tulsa World Reader Comments
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tfromtulsa, Tulsa (11/6/2009 4:00:51 PM)
Paperjunkie#1 - If he was a killer or child molester they would have gone easy on him.

tfromtulsa, Tulsa (11/6/2009 8:51:53 PM)
I'm not condoning this guy's crime, I just think it's insane that criminals like murderers and child molesters get such light sentences.

Few Clothes, America (11/7/2009 8:23:07 AM)
KarenD. Most, if not all, men are mamas boys. When men are injured or dying they all ask for mama. She is the one that brought you into life and it never changes.

Few Clothes, America (11/7/2009 11:46:26 AM)
At least he got to sleep and get a meal in his families home before his life sentence resumed.

Woofenburger, Hominy (11/6/2009 9:45:33 PM)
A lot of child rapists, murderers and armed robbers don't get Life Without Parole. This is your War on Drugs money hard at work.

Woofenburger, Hominy (11/6/2009 9:47:45 PM)
By the way, everyone be sure and notice that it was a privete prison that let a man serving a Life Without Parole sentence to walk out the front door. These are the people your republican Oklahoma legislators want to farm more of Oklahoma's inmates out to at high daily rates. I imagine to pay back their corporate prison contributors.

Woofenburger, Hominy (11/6/2009 10:17:36 PM)
Good points Future World.

Woofenburger, Hominy (11/6/2009 10:18:07 PM)
I like how ya think.

calloy, T-town (11/6/2009 4:33:51 PM)
welcome back, your dreams were your ticket out welcome back, to that same old place that you laughed about

irwindale, Tulsa (11/6/2009 6:44:03 PM)
...big deal. Some do it to get into office.

irwindale, Tulsa (11/6/2009 6:45:14 PM)
Fake documents that is.

Just a country boy, North Okmulgee County (11/6/2009 4:15:58 PM)
The guy was first put in for manufacture and keeping a wittness from attendening court. Keep him locked up.

Just a country boy, North Okmulgee County (11/6/2009 6:41:14 PM)
A gun with a felon Drug manufacture. the guy is slime Don't defend just cause you hear the magical word POT. He is much more than a pot smoker. Gimmie a break.

Just a country boy, North Okmulgee County (11/6/2009 6:53:04 PM)
Maybe the women deserve to be there. My ex wife abused my son and got probation if it had been me abusing him I would have got life. She also tried to poison me and didn't even get a slap on the wrist.

FUTURE WORLD, Tulsa (11/6/2009 7:15:33 PM)
Well he certainly isn't a dopp. He was smart enough to pull that little charade off. But dumb enough to go to momma

FUTURE WORLD, Tulsa (11/6/2009 7:28:59 PM)
I read TW comments all the time about people complaining about tax dollars wasted to take care of inmates. The complaint usually ends with a desire to see the inmate executed as a means of exacting justice and saving money. The first argument is at least defensible, but the money part is a shear call of vigilante justice. Well folks how much is it costing us, at premium private prison rates, to take care of this guy for life for sell weed? Should the state just kill him too in order to save a little money?

FUTURE WORLD, Tulsa (11/6/2009 7:31:59 PM)
you're kidding I so happy you and your girl friend are OK. I can just picture your thought process as you decided to toss your keys on the roof. But consider this next time. Just give them the keys. I mean hand them over nicely.

FUTURE WORLD, Tulsa (11/6/2009 7:36:07 PM)
You know those chips are high in cholesterol and trans fats. If you must, I recommend only kettle cooked or baked.

FUTURE WORLD, Tulsa (11/6/2009 7:38:42 PM)
Short lived coffee break indeed. Now they'll tack on an additional 7 plus maybe a forgery, and add and additional 20 to his sentence. That's a lot of room and board expense for trafficking some weed.

FUTURE WORLD, Tulsa (11/6/2009 7:44:35 PM)
She's scared as all get out for sure. But it's best, that when encountered by a criminal, to take 5 seconds to assess the situation before reacting. But never just react blindly. Because the criminal has already considered his options beforehand and has a edge at the beginning. Take a moment to consider your options as well.

FUTURE WORLD, Tulsa (11/6/2009 7:48:18 PM)
RollinOkie, I thoroughly agree. The criminal is responsible for their actions. And those criminal actions have consequence. But the citizens have to bare the financial responsibility of ensuring justice is carried out. At what level of expense is LWOP for trafficking weed acceptable and reasonable upon the taxpayers?

FUTURE WORLD, Tulsa (11/6/2009 8:12:43 PM)
I knew from an earlier discussion we had you were using an iPhone for your Internet access. Don't mind Zoltar. Hypercritical and caustic towards anyone who does not agree with. These judgmental posters comments should simply be ignored, not placed on ignore. It's fine to read. Just don't respond. Of the nearly 2000 comments posted yesterday, I have no one on an ignore list. I simply choose which ones I respond to.

FUTURE WORLD, Tulsa (11/6/2009 8:13:50 PM)
See if you can find a progressive spell checker program on the internet. I haven't checked so I can't tell you. But take a look and see.

FUTURE WORLD, Tulsa (11/6/2009 9:54:10 PM)
It's all about supporting private enterprise. They would hire out the Attorney Generals office if the constitution didn't forbid them. How about out sourcing the Governor's office to the CEO of GE?

HONES, T-Town (11/6/2009 4:08:28 PM)
OldFatDude! HAHAHA! You are most likely right! tfromtulsa, I know you're right. That seems to be the rules in the court.


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