Court date scheduled in conspiracy case

NEWKIRK — A status docket is set for Shala Marie LeClair, 36, Ponca City, in Kay County District Court.

LeClair is facing a felony count of conspiracy after two or more felony convictions. The charge was filed on June 9, 2022 after an investigation by Ponca City police.  This is the 18th court date scheduled in the matter and the 13th status docket. 

Ponca City police report that on Oct. 21, 2021, an officer initiated a traffic stop at Elm and Highland.  The officer reports smelling marijuana coming from inside the vehicle.

Police identified the driver as 24-year-old Kimberly Renee Suggs. Suggs reportedly stated that she did not have a driver’s license nor a medical marijuana license.

A male in the front passenger seat was identified as 22-year-old Francisco Campos. The male was arrested at the scene after police reportedly located a back pack containing a marijuana pipe, dab residue and dab pens.

At the time the male was believed to be Campos, who was 17 at the time. He was released to LeClair, who was is his aunt, on a promise to appear.

Later that evening police responded to the Valero, 400 east South Ave. for a glass break alarm. They then learned that Ezekiel Salinas was impersonating Campos and that he was the one arrested and released to LeClair.

On Oct. 22, 2021, LeClair reportedly told police that Salinas was her nephew and that she was just trying to look out for them and that she didn’t think it would be that serious.

LeClair was charged and since then an ongoing series of court dates have taken place.

On June 17, 2023, she entered a no contest plea to the charge before Judge Lee Turner and was sentenced to Drug Court.

On Aug. 30, 2023, a petition to remove her from Drug Court was filed and a warrant with bond endorsed at $25,000 was issued.

On May 23, 2024 she was released from the county jail and transported to a treatment facility where she reportedly remains.

Salinas was later convicted impersonating another. (see story)

Campos, who was not at the scene of the traffic stop, was later arrested in 2022 and faced three felony cases that included charges of burglary, felony discharging a firearm into a dwelling and trafficking in illegal drugs.

On Feb. 21, 2024, a jury found Campos guilty of discharging a firearm into a dwelling and recommended nine years in prison. The jury then recommended five years in prison on a conspiracy charge.

On March 11, 2024, Campos appeared with his attorney Jarrod Stevenson before Judge David Bandy for sentencing. With assistant district attorney Rob Davis present for the state Campos entered a no contest plea to charges of burglary, domestic assault and battery, malicious injury to property and disruption of an emergency call. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison with all time suspended.

He was also sentenced to six year in prison in the drug trafficking case and sentenced to the time recommended by the jury in the discharging of a firearm case.