An Oklahoma sheriff's office says a newspaper's audio recording in which the sheriff and others are reportedly heard discussing killing two journalists and hanging Black people was illegal and predicted felony charges will be filed.

A post on the sheriff's office Facebook page — the agency's first public comment since the comments by Sheriff Kevin Clardy and others were reported by the McCurtain Gazette-News — does not address the recorded discussion, but calls the situation "complex" and one "we regret having to address."

The threatening comments by the officials that were recorded have spark...