Warrant remains issued in conspiracy case

UPDATE: Warrant issued for Sheppard on Aug. 24

NEWKIRK — On Aug. 24 a bench warrant with an application to accel was issued for Sheppard. Bond is endorsed at $5,000. Anyone with information on her location is asked to call police.

NEWKIRK — A warrant remains issued for Robert Tom Hutchens, 44, Ponca City, by the Kay County District Court.

Hutchens and Courtney Nichole Sheppard, 33, Ponca City, were charged on May 15 with conspiracy and obtaining service by trick or deception.

Ponca City police report that on March 27 an officer spoke to a resident who said he had charged two nights at the Ashley Inn on his Capitol One credit card for his daughter.

Soon afterwards, the resident received notifications from Capitol One declining further charges as his card was maxed out.

Officer Eric Welch reports that he made contact with the hotel owners, Danny and Julie Kukuk. They reportedly told police that Sheppard had been staying at the hotel since Feb. 10 and that a male that they thought was Sheppard’s father would call every few days and extend the stay on the credit card.

Police report that there are 16 transactions on the credit card totaling $2,262.73 in unauthorized charges. Welch made contact with Sheppard and Hutchens, who were both staying in the room.

Sheppard reportedly told Welch that she had been paying for the room with CashApp but that she had spent the last of her money on cigarettes. 

“It was my understanding that my card was the one being charged the entire time. My phone is dead, so I can’t log into the CashApp application to see the charges on my card, but I know that I don’t have any money on it since I just spent it all on cigarettes,” she said.

Hutchens reportedly said that he thought Sheppard’s father’s card was the one being charged and that he called the front desk at three times to extend their stay a week each time.

Sheppard was arrested on the charges in June and on July 10, she entered a no contest plea to the charges and was sentenced to a two-year suspended prison sentence. In a second case, sentencing is stayed until the completion of Anna McBride Court.

Hutchens has yet to be arrested on the charges and a warrant with bond endorsed at $10,000 is issued. Anyone with information on his location is asked to call law enforcement.