On October 19, 2004, Latimer County Sheriff Melvin Holly, age 63, was arrested by FBI agents in McAlester, Oklahoma. Holly is accused of coercing three female inmates into having sex with him, serving one of them moonshine and threatening one that she would "end up dead ... floating face down in a river", if she told anyone.

FBI agents interviewed Holly on September 15, 2004 as part of their investigation regarding the allegations and at that time Holly denied any improper conduct.

In an affidavit filed in federal court FBI agents revealed that a 19 year old female had reported that she had been removed from her cell by a deputy, taken to Holly's office and pressured to have sex with Holly. The woman also reported that he had sex with Holly both in the back seat of his sheriff's car and on the floor of his office. The woman's statement indicated that once after having sex with Holly she was returned to her cell and that Holly provided moonshine to her and her cellmate. It is also alleged that the sheriff made the woman swear she wouldn't tell what happened because Holly could be thrown out of office.

A former inmate told federal investigators that Holly took her to the A-OK Railroad office in Wilburton, OK for sex and afterwards took her to a restaurant in Krebs, OK for a sheriff's meeting where she listened as the sheriffs discussed official business.

Yet another female inmate told investigators that she had sexual relations with Holly once a week in his office during the time she was incarcerated in the Latimer County Jail.

Two of the women expressed fear of Holly because he claimed to have shot and killed several people in the past.

On October 22, 2004 Sheriff Holly appeared in federal court in Muskogee, Oklahoma for a combination preliminary and detention hearing. At that hearing FBI Special Agent James Dawson testified that the three women had given in to Holly's sexual demands because they were afraid he would harm them. Special Agent Dawson also said the witnesses are afraid of retribution from the sheriff if he is released on bail pending further action.

Special Agent Dawson also indicated that Sheriff Holly's wife had indicated that her husband had anger problems and had exhibited alarming behavior. Dawson indicated that Holly told his wife and friends he wanted "to go out in a blaze of glory" and had in fact purchased two new .357-caliber handgun earlier in the month and that he would "give law enforcement a reason to arrest him".

The federal charges against Sheriff Holly include making false statements to federal investigators and threatening a witness in an attempt to hinder a federal investigation. US Magistrate Kimberly West found probable cause to order Holly to stand trial on those charges and ordered him held without bail. Holly is expected to be indicted by a federal grand jury which begins on November 8th. If convicted Holly faces up to 15 years in prison.

By Oklahoma state law, inmates in correctional institutions can not consent to sexual relations with law officers. There has been no official announcement regarding any state charges against Sheriff Holly. In other cases where inmates have had sexual relations with jailers and other law enforcement personnel the officers have been charged with rape.

Melvin Holly is a former police chief in the towns of Red Oak and Wilburton, Oklahoma and was first elected Sheriff in 1996 and was re-elected in 2000. Holly is the first Sheriff of Latimer County to be re-elected to a full term in 40 years. In July of this year he was defeated by Wayne Brinkley in the Democratic primary election. Since Sheriff elect Brinkley drew no opposition in the November general election he will become Sheriff on January 1, 2005. In the interim, Undersheriff Ronnie Troxel will serve as sheriff since Holly cannot perform his duties while in jail.

Update 1:

On 11/09/04, A federal grand jury in Muskogee, Oklahoma issued a 14 count indictment against Latimer County Sheriff Melvin Holly. Holly is accused of coercing eight female inmates into sexual activity and later threatening one of them, improperly touching three female employees and a 16-year-old girl, the daughter of a jail employee and who was visiting her mother at work.

Update 2:

On 11/14/04, The Oklahoman in a copyrighted report indicated that the FBI investigation of Holly had widened to include a November 2003 arson fire which destroyed Holly's home. The referenced report quoted Gene Wheat, agent supervisor for the fire marshal's office as saying his office had questioned Holly's story regarding the fire "from day one". The report also went on to quote Wheat saying, "It was really a suspicious deal on the sheriff's part from day one."

Update 3:

On 12/02/04, former Latimer County jail inmate Summer Hyslop, age 19, through her lawyer served notice on Latimer County officials of her intent to sue the county claiming Sheriff Melvin Holly repeatedly raped her. Hyslop indicated she intended to sue for more than $10,000. Hyslop was in the Latimer County jail on drug charges in March and April, 2004 when, according to the indictment, she and Holly had sex. The indictment doesn't indicate that she was raped, but under state law, an inmate cannot legally give consent and any sex act with an inmate is automatically deemed rape.

News media reports indicate that Latimer County officials expect several lawsuits to follow, from both former jail inmates and county employees. Since Latimer County is self-insured the settlements from any successful lawsuits would have to come from county taxpayers who would see their property taxes increase to provide for the settlement payments.

Update 4:

On 2/13/05, U.S. District Judge James H. Payne ordered testing and a mental competency hearing for former Sheriff Holly. Holly's lawyer Warren Gotcher filed with the court papers claiming Holly has become delusional in jail while awaiting trial. News media reports indicated that Holly's lawyer claims that Holly is among other things exhibiting delusions of being removed from the jail and taken to other locations and also making bizarre statements to his daughter and son.

Update 5:

On 5/05/05, U.S. District Judge James H. Payne held a competency hearing for Holly and determined that he was in fact competent to stand trial. Holly had been sent to a San Diego prison medical unit for a month long mental evaluation. Holly's trial was set to being on 6/06/05.

Update 6:

On the eve of the start of Holly's trial, the judge decided to postpone the trial to consider defense motions to exclude witness whose testimony would reportedly state that former Latimer County Sheriff Melvin Holly took payoffs, kept moonshine in the jail and bragged about killing people. News media reports indicate that Holly's attorney accuses prosecutors of using a strategy of overkill and multiple witnesses testifying to the same behavior.

News media reports also indicate that prosecutors have not yet filed a response and that Judge Payne hasn't decided whether to allow the testimony.

Update 7:

On Wednesday, August 10, 2005 Melvin Holly's trial began in U.S. District Court in Muskogee, OK.  Holly faced a total of 15 counts, including several counts of sexual activity involving female inmates, unwanted sexual contact with three female employees and a staff member's 16-year-old daughter, lying to the FBI and threatening to kill an inmate if she disclosed their relationship to investigators.

What follows is a brief summary of the most significant testimony:

During the prosecution's case a woman who was an inmate in the Holly run jail testified that Holly had raped her and told her that no one would believe her if she reported it.  She also testified that Holly told her that he would make sure she would never get out of jail alive if she reported the rape.   She was followed to the witness stand by other female inmates and former jail employees that testified they were sexually abused by Holly.

A total of twenty-three witnesses including nine female inmate victims and three female victim employees were called by the government in the five-day trial.  .

During the defense phase of the trial Melvin Holly took the witness stand and stated he couldn't have sexually assaulted jail inmates and his employees because he is impotent.

Holly's doctor, Gerald Rana, testified for the defense that the ex-lawman was taking medicine to treat diarrhea and high blood-pressure. Rana said that because of Holly's medication, a 1998 gunshot wound and his age, he couldn't see how the former sheriff could have sex.

Prosecutors questioned why in spite of Holly's 102 doctor visits since 1998 there was no documentation that supports Holly's contention before Rana included some in his file nine days after the FBI initially questioned Holly.   Rana replied Holly more than once mentioned the problem to him 'off the record'.

On Tuesday, August 16, 2005 after four hours of deliberation the jury returned its verdicts finding Holly guilty of 14 of the 15 counts with which he was charged.   The only not-guilty verdict was on a count of touching a female inmate's buttocks.   Three of the felony counts of which Holly was found guilty could result in life sentences.

In regard to the trial and verdict U.S. Attorney Sheldon Sperling said:

We didn't try the man he said he was; we prosecuted the predator he became.
For too long, the defendant wielded unrestrained authority over jailed female inmates and female employees.
The public trust, which each law enforcement officer swears to uphold, was fully vindicated by this important verdict.

Formal sentencing for former Latimer County Sheriff Melvin Holly is expected within 90 days.  Dennis Holly said his father likely will appeal the jury's decision.

Following the guilty verdicts Holly was returned to the Muskogee City/County Detention Facility were he has been held since his arrest last year.   Muskogee County Sheriff Charles Pearson said he planned to put Holly on a suicide watch.

Update 8:

On November 23, 2005 Melvin Holly was sentenced to twenty-five years in federal prison for sexually abusing and threatening county jail inmates.  Media reports at the time of Holly's sentencing quoted US Attorney Sheldon Sperling as indicating Holly was given the sentence with no chance for parole.

Days earlier, two of the women sexually abused by Holly settled their lawsuits with Latimer County.  Rebecca Preston settled her lawsuit for $100,000 and Summer Hyslop settled for $85,000.  Other lawsuits against the county for the former sheriff’s actions are pending.