Alva Review-Courier -

A Woods County felony warrant has been issued for a Lawton man on a false pretenses/con game charge.

According to court records, on Nov. 8, Jo Thompson told District Attorney’s Investigator Steve Tanio she had been the victim of fraud by a long-time acquaintance, Bryan Peeler. Thompson said approximately two months ago while in Alva, she received a cellphone call from Peeler who asked if she was interested in purchasing a four-wheel Razor ATV from him. He sent a photograph of a 2019 Razor from his cellphone in Comanche County to Thompson’s cellphone in Woods County. He told her he currently owned the Razor and would sell it to her for a total of $8,000. Peeler told her she would need to send him $4,000 as a down payment and pay the remaining $4,000 when he delivered the Razor to her.

On Oct. 23, Thompson went to the Alva Walmart store and wired $2,000 to Peeler in Lawton. On Nov. 4, Thompson again went to the Alva Walmart and wired $2,000 to Peeler in Lawton. Peeler texted Thompson on her cellphone while she was in Alva and stated he had received the money and would decide to deliver the Razor.

Thompson provided Tanio with the Walmart transaction receipts, photographs of the Razor received on her cellphone from Peeler and copies of text communications between them. Tanio reviewed the copies, which corroborated what Thompson had told him.

Thompson told Tanio that since wiring the money on Nov. 4 and Peeler acknowledging receiving it, she has had no further communication with him. He failed to meet her in Clinton for the final financial transaction and to deliver the Razor to her. In addition, Peeler had deleted her cellular telephone number and is not answering any digital communications from her. Thompson has discovered that Peeler has deleted her from the social media applications Facebook and Facebook Messenger since he received the wired money on Nov. 4.

On Nov. 8, Tanio conducted a limited background check of Peeler. He discovered Peeler had an extensive criminal record. His prior charges in Comanche County include false declaration of ownership, burglary second degree, possess/furnish precursor substance, possession of precursor to manufacture a controlled dangerous substance, bomb – possession of explosive device and possession of burglary tools by convicted burglar. In Roger Mills County, he was charged with domestic assault and battery resulting in great bodily harm.

Bryan William Peeler, 43, of Lawton, has been charged with two felonies: false pretenses/con game and computer fraud – unlawful use of computer/system. The first charge is punishable by imprisonment for a term not to exceed five years, or by a fine not to exceed $5,000, or by both such imprisonment and fine. The second charge is punishable by imprisonment of ten years and/or a fine of $5,000 to $10,000.