Chandler Corn

A number of felony charges are being prepared against a Canadian County man after sheriff's investigators pieced together an oil field theft operation that covered at least two counties.

Investigators said Chandler Corn, 33, is being charged with his involvement in the operation that targeted well sites in Canadian and Caddo counties with an oil field business called Weld Mech Inc.

More arrests and charges are expected against others allegedly involved in the scheme that first came to the attention of law enforcement after a citizen reported suspicious activity at a well site west of El Reno.

The El Reno Fire Department responded to what was believed to be a malfunction of a well site, making a loud noise. This happened late at night in May. A neighbor living near the site called 911 to report the unusual activity. The caller reported seeing a pickup truck leave the area.

The fire crew reported there was no significant damage, but it appeared the well was being “blown out,” a process that removes pressure off the well. The owner of the well in question arrived and said that his well had been tampered with.

Deputies were called to a separate well site just a few miles away the next day when it was reported by the same owner that a workover rig was actively pulling equipment from his well. The oil field workers told deputies that they were told to pull the rods and pipes from the well. But lawmen said other workers provided conflicting stories.

Corn reportedly showed up at the site and claimed that a family member employed by him had sent the crew to the wrong location. Corn told law enforcement that the young inexperienced family member was supposed to send the oil field crew 20 miles away at a rig site near Mustang, lawmen said.

Lawmen said the well site owner began inspecting other rigs he owns in the area the next day and found several had been tampered with. It was discovered valuable oil field pipe had been pulled from the wells.

Sheriff's investigators then got involved and were able to determine, through cellphone data, that Corn had been in proximity to most well sites that had been tampered with. At this time, law enforcement believes that Corn and his associates are involved in at least five completed well thefts.

Investigators then checked with area pipe reclamation businesses and found Corn and his co-conspirators had allegedly delivered semi loads of pipe to them to be refurbished so the pipe could be resold.

Investigators allege Corn passed himself off with the name of a reputable oil field businessman in Hinton during the transactions but had all calls and text messages connected to the scheme sent from his cell number.

Lawmen also say Corn directed his younger relative to coordinate the operation and found numerous text messages supporting this on their cellphones.

During a court-approved search at Weld Mech in Union City, lawmen seized numerous equipment involved in the criminal enterprise, to include a semi and semi trailer. A stolen oil field trailer, valued at over $100,000, was also recovered. The investigation led to another site in Caddo County where lawmen seized a workover rig that was utilized in the thefts. Lawmen said the total loss and damage of oil field equipment would be hundreds of thousands of dollars. 

The sheriff's office was assisted by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Oklahoma Corporation Commission and Union City police.

The case is ongoing and more arrests and charges are expected.