Pittsburg County Sheriff Pleads No Contest To Embezzlement; Felony Charges Dismissed

The former Pittsburg County Sheriff pleaded no contest to misdemeanor embezzlement on Wednesday

Christopher Morris was charged with felony embezzlement and bribery in 2024 but those charges were dismissed and the case was refiled to a misdemeanor offense. Wagoner County District Attorney Jack Thorpe handled this case after the Pittsburg County DA recused himself.

Morris was given a two-year deferred sentence.

Morris is accused of breaking the law while replacing a sheriff's office UTV. Prosecutors said Morris bought a UTV for personal use-sold it-then had the county buy it for the sheriff's office. The OSBI said Morris presented the vehicle as new to bypass state bidding requirements and defrauded the county.

Morris tells News On 6 that he feels he is innocent and that the system needs to be fixed.

"I maintain my innocence. I did an offer plea on a misdemeanor, but which means I'm not I didn't do anything wrong. I'm innocent. I didn't do anything wrong. There's work needs to be done in the system, I believe, and we're going to start working on that," said Morris.

Morris had been on suspension for most of 2024 due to the case but still ran for re-election as Sheriff. Morris won but resigned from his position afterward.

"I feel like it affects not only me. But the citizens of Pittsburg County spoke with all this going on, they still spoke. I still won by landslide. So they spoke, they said, who they wanted to Sheriff. I know that the sheriff's office in Pittsburg County since I took over is probably one of the best, if not the best, sheriff's offices in the state of Oklahoma. And I just feel like, I feel like the people's choice to vote for their sheriff. You know, the Sheriff must be elected by the people. I mean, you work for the people, and feel like that, like that was taken away from the citizens of Pittsburg County."

Morris said that he plans to run for Sheriff again.

Editor's Note: A previous version of this story stated that Morris had pleaded guilty. He pled no contest.