11/10/2013 – Oklahoma — You Heard it Here First! A Oklahoma City man arrested last week in Stillwater on pimping related charges has a long criminal history that includes an acquittal for murder when he was only 19.
JohnTV recently reported on ‘Operation Dragon Slayer’ – the Stillwater online prostitution sting that netted 26-arrests – five of which for pimping related charges.
One of those alleged pimps was identified as Markeese Phelps, 23, from Oklahoma City.
After further investigation by JohnTV, we have learned that Phelps is also known by the last name Ward, using the same middle name, date of birth (12/30/89) and listing the same home address in the 11100 block of North McKinley in OKC. No formal name change application however could be readily located.
According to court records and media accounts, Phelps, 19, (using the last name Ward) was arrested in 2009 and charged with the murder of 23-year-old Calvin Atchison outside the Oklahoma City dance club Fritzi’s II – located at 1164 N. MacArthur Blvd.
2009 article in the Oklahoman regarding Phelps’/Ward’s arrest for murder.
Atchison, described as a rival gang-member of Phelps/Ward, was shot twice in the head while he sat in the driver’s seat of a car in the club parking lot around 3 a.m. Phelps/Ward suffered a gunshot wound as well that may have come from the victim returning fire.
The victim’s brother, felon Cajuan Johnson, reportedly identified Phelps/Ward as the shooter in a police provided photo lineup.
The shooting came soon after Phelps’/Ward’s release from prison boot camp as a result of pleading guilty to cocaine and burglary offenses.
Apparently classes Phelps/Ward successfully completed in prison bootcamp, such as ‘Getting Motivated to Change,’ ‘Life Without a Crutch,’ and ‘Unlocking Your Thinking,’ didn’t have the intended effect.
Despite being at the scene of the murder and suffering a gunshot wound himself and being identified by a witness as the murderer, Phelps/Ward was acquitted by a jury in 2011. Prosecutors said convicting gang-members is very difficult due to a ‘no snitching’ mentality. Prosecutors also admitted their witness had credibility issues and Phelps/Ward maintained he was shot as a bystander walking through the parking lot.
Phelps’/Ward’s criminal resume includes;
- 2007 felony charge and conviction for burglary.
- 2009 felony conviction for trafficking cocaine and vehicle theft.
- 2009 charge and conviction for possession of marijuana.
- 2009 charge and acquittal for murder in the first degree. (possession of a firearm charges dismissed).
- 2010 charge and conviction for possession of contraband in prison.
- 2012 charge and conviction for four counts of felony possession of contraband in a prison.
- 2013 charge for possession of meth.
- 2013 charge for knowingly concealing stolen property.
- 2013 charge for false impersonation creating liability and driving without a license.
Despite the laundry list of criminal charges and convictions above, Phelps/Ward has yet to serve more than 16-months in prison.
According to the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, Phelps/Ward is on paper until 12/19/2027.
Also according to the DOC, Phelps/Ward has a tattoo on his hand that reads “Death Before Dishonor,” one on his neck that reads “Jasmin” and one on his back that reads “VSG” (possibly stands for Vegas Street Gang – unconfirmed).
No additional details on Phelp’s/Ward’s most recent pimping/prostitution related arrest have been released.
Criminal charges have yet to be filed in Phelp’s/Ward’s most recent arrest.
JohnTV will continue to follow this case.
