OKLAHOMA CITY -
A pair of wrongful termination lawsuits filed last week by former employees of the Canadian County Sheriff’s Office claim the agency’s leadership fired two whistleblowers.
Former lieutenant and forensic investigators Marty Burns and Chelsea Adkins, respectively, said they reported possibly illegal actions by Major Adam Flowers in 2021. They said Sheriff Chris West ultimately fired them in August without reason.
The lawsuits, filed in Canadian County District Court, name West and the county’s board of commissioners.
District Attorney Mike Fields, who represents the county, said he does not comment on pending litigation.
Adkins said she witnessed two problematic incidents involving Flowers in late 2020 or early 2021, and in April 2021.
In her petition, Adkins said the first incident followed her request for new computers in the forensics department.
“Some of our stuff was a little outdated,” she said.
In response to her request, Adkins said Flowers did not ask for additional funding, but instead gave her access to a computer seized from the home of a child pornography suspect.
“Immediately, I was like, ‘no, we can’t do that.’
“He just said, well don’t’ tell anybody. Just keep it quiet If anyone asks, it’s ours, we won it in the forfeiture,” Adkins said. “It’s a very awkward and difficult position because you’re putting me in a position to lie when I’ve already told you it’s legally not ours. We just can’t.”
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