Former Okla. insurance commissioner jailed

Former Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher was arrested and jailed Mar. 1, 2007, for allegedly violating the terms of his appeal bond, a spokeswoman for the attorney general said. “Carroll Fisher is in the custody of the Oklahoma County jail,” Emily Lang said. “He appeared … before Oklahoma County Judge Kenneth Watson, who revoked his appeal bond.”

Fisher, who was convicted in 2006 on embezzlement and perjury charges, allegedly traveled without permission from his parole supervisor and failed to take a tracking device with him when he did travel, Lang said. He was to remain jailed until Mar. 5, when a hearing was scheduled before Judge Watson.

‘He (Watson) could set new terms for his release or he could require him to stay in jail,” Lang said.

It was the second time Fisher has been jailed. He faces three years in prison and a $20,000 fine if he loses his appeal. He apologized to the judge and said he didn’t intentionally do something wrong on house arrest.

A jury convicted Fisher in February 2006. He then spent almost two weeks in jail but, at his formal sentencing, his trial judge agreed to put him on house arrest. Fisher at first could only leave his house to go to the doctor, to see his attorneys or to go to court. Watson agreed Jan. 19 to let Fisher out of the house from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily to seek work.

Fisher’s movements were monitored by satellite. On house arrest, he wore an ankle bracelet and had to carry a special box with him. He first violated house arrest conditions when he left home without the box Feb. 3 and 5, officials said. He violated house arrest conditions again when he put the box in his car Feb. 26 while at his new job at a Tulsa furniture consignment business. Fisher and his attorney complained about technical difficulties with the monitoring box, saying it was interfering with his work.

The judge said Fisher will no longer be allowed to work when he returns to house arrest.

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Topics Oklahoma