KINGFISHER – Former Watonga Police Chief Shawn Kays appeared at the Kingfisher County Courthouse for the second time on Tuesday, Dec. 7, facing charges of felony burglary and misdemeanor assault.
As happened in October, however, Kays was merely sent away with a new court date. But Kingfisher County assistant district attorney John Salmon gave an interesting reason why: He told Judge Lance Schneiter that more criminal complaints may be filed against Kays, so the state wants to wait and consolidate the cases against him.
Salmon said he’d been told by Erik Roscom, his counterpart in Blaine County, that additional charges might be “imminent.” Roscom later told the Watonga Republican that the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation still has an open investigation on Kays, and said his office is waiting on their final report.
Kays’ next court date was set for Feb. 22 at 1:30 p.m.
Kays, who served as the Watonga chief for several years until June 2021, was charged in July with burglary and assault in relation to a rough 2019 arrest that was captured on police body cameras. On the day he was fired from the WPD, Kays’ ex-girlfriend sought a protective order against him after a lewd image of her was distributed on flyers around town.
Kays left his Watonga home within weeks and now has a Mustang address. He is due in Blaine County court next week regarding the protective order, though two previous related hearings have been canceled and the order continued.