Highway patrol begins 'preliminary inquiry' into Oran timecard fraud allegations

A citizen’s complaint, accusing Oran, Missouri, police chief Gregg Ourth and his son Jason of committing timecard fraud, has been turned over to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Scott County Prosecutor’s Office said.

Capt. John Hotz, director of public information for the patrol, said in an email to the Southeast Missourian on Friday the agency’s division of drug and crime control “is conducting a preliminary inquiry into the matter to determine if any actions of any party are criminal and if an investigation is warranted.”

Paula Bouge, office manager for the prosecutor’s office, said in a Sept. 22 email to Oran resident and complainant Cindy Seyer the matter has been submitted to the highway patrol “because of conflict (of interest).”

Seyer had suggested in an email to the prosecutor’s office that same day that Scott County Sheriff Wes Drury and the prosecutor’s office should want to “avoid any appearance of impropriety” and seek “an impartial investigation.”

In that email, Seyer said there were “personal and professional friendships” between the sheriff’s department and the Oran Police Department.

Seyer said Friday she is “hopeful” the highway patrol will thoroughly investigate the matter.

“I will be extremely disappointed if they don’t follow through on this.”

On Sept. 28, two state troopers met with Oran Mayor Gary Senciboy and city attorney Amanda Oesch at city hall, Seyer said.

In an email to the Southeast Missourian on Friday, Oesch confirmed she and the mayor met with the patrol, “but that is the only information I am willing to release at this time.”

Earlier on Friday, Senciboy refused to confirm to the Missourian newspaper whether such a meeting took place. He said that is “irrelevant.”

He complained about the newspaper’s reporting of the accusations.

“This just blows my mind,” he said.

He said the allegations, first made by Seyer and former city clerk Debra Phillips in April and reported by the newspaper, “have literally ruined our reputation.”

Seyer and Phillips asked the town’s board of aldermen in April to request a highway-patrol investigation, but city officials declined.

Seyer said that over the past four months she has repeatedly requested in writing that Scott County Sheriff Wes Drury investigate the matter.

Drury, in emails to both Seyer and the Southeast Missourian, said this summer he had contacted the prosecutor’s office about Seyer’s complaint.

Seyer said that for the past several months she also had repeatedly requested information from the prosecutor’s office as to the status of her complaint.

She added she feels Scott County officials have been slow to respond to her complaint.

Drury wrote in an email to Seyer on Sept. 26 that the prosecutor’s office had responded to “your request about the investigation.” Drury added that “there is currently no investigation by my office in this matter.”

Seyer and Phillips have argued that Jason Ourth was paid for hours he did not work while he was employed as a police officer for Oran. They said the police chief filled out his son’s timecards.

Jason Ourth resigned after the fraud allegation surfaced earlier this year.

But Seyer said she continues to press the issue because she believes the city of Oran should receive restitution for the wages received by Jason Ourth during the three years he was employed with the police department. Seyer estimated the money paid to Jason Ourth totaled about $65,000.

She added that such a sum is a major expense for a small town such as Oran.

Oran city officials, including the mayor and Gregg Ourth, have said the accusations are unfounded.

“We have nothing to hide,” Senciboy said in May.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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Pertinent address:

Oran, Mo.