Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond
Undersheriff indicted for intimidating witness, obstructing officer
OKLAHOMA CITY (Nov. 25, 2025) – Coal County Sheriff Jason Smith has been indicted by the Multi-County Grand Jury on one count of domestic abuse and one count of assault and battery. Related to these allegations, grand jurors also indicted Undersheriff Jesse Yother for intimidating a witness and obstructing an officer.
Moreover, the Multi-County Grand Jury has filed a motion to remove Smith from office for the aforementioned counts, habitual drunkenness and sexual harassment of employees.
The abuse and assault charges stem from a July 26 incident in Coalgate in which Smith, 48, allegedly shoved his wife and struck the husband of one of his deputies. Yother, 64, allegedly threatened the deputy to change her witness account and prevented a Coalgate police officer from securing the scene.
Attorney General Gentner Drummond praised the work of the grand jurors in handing down the indictments.
“There can be no tolerance for a sheriff sworn to preserve the peace but whose actions clearly undermine the law and endanger public safety. These allegations against the sheriff are serious and, if proven true, indicate he is unfit to continue serving the citizens of Coal County,” he said.
The case will be prosecuted in Coal County by District 18 District Attorney Chuck Sullivan after the recusal of Coal County District Attorney Tim Webster.
“I thank the grand jury for their work and deliberation, but I will remind you that Sheriff Smith remains innocent until proven guilty,” Sullivan said. “We will remain steadfast in prosecuting this as we would any case, regardless of who the defendant is.”
The range of punishment for domestic abuse is up to one year in county jail and/or a $5,000 fine, while assault and battery is punishable by up to six months in a county jail and/or a $1,000 fine. Both are misdemeanors.
Intimidation of a state witness is a felony punishable by a prison sentence of one to 10 years. Obstruction of an officer, which is a misdemeanor, has a maximum punishment of up to one year in jail and/or a $500 fine.
Every person arrested or indicted is presumed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.
Read the indictment against Smith and the indictment against Yother. Read the accusation for removal for Smith.
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