Cleveland Co. man mistakenly released from jail calls News 4 to slam sheriff's office
CLEVELAND COUNTY, Okla. (KFOR) – A Cleveland County man with a violent past, mistakenly released from jail, says he plans to turn himself in, but wants law enforcement held accountable for letting him go.
On April 28, Cleveland County District Judge Michael Tupper signed off on a summary order for Michael Bodnar. Bodnar is facing multiple charges connected to a 2023 case for kidnapping, burglary, and domestic assault and battery by strangulation.
Court documents say the incident tied to the charges happened in Norman, in October of that year. Documents say Bodnar broke into the apartment of a woman, News 4 is calling D.W., strangled her, and refused to let her leave for several hours. Documents go on to say at one point D.W. told police Bodnar threatened to pour Spic and Span on her and light her on fire.
Bodnar was arrested and booked into the Cleveland County Detention Center, where online records say he's undergone court proceedings since November of the same year.
A plea and sentencing hearing for Bodnar is indicated as being scheduled for July 14 online, and in the summary order that Tupper signed off on. On the same Summary Order, Tupper also crossed off a box to leave additional comments, saying that the order was supposed to be tracked with the case number associated with Bodnar charges. Just above that box, unchecked, is a line of text that indicates DOC is relieved of custody as to the matter, and the Defendant in the case is ordered to be released. Bodnar's attorney also signed off on a motion to revoke/accelerate summary order, saying that it was understood Bodnar could face up to eight years in state prison.
Despite those court-reported facts, News 4 confirmed Wednesday with Cleveland County Sheriff Chris Amason, Bodnar is not currently in custody.
"I fear for my safety," D.W. told News 4 in an interview over the phone. "I called the [District Attorney] and she said Judge Tupper had never signed for him to be released."
News 4 requested an interview with Amason on Wednesday before speaking with D.W. to explain, but he provided a statement. News 4 followed up again after speaking with D.W. to address her concerns to request an interview again, but did not receive a response. The statement Amason provided is below:
The Cleveland County Detention Center received a summary order signed by District Judge Michael Tupper from the Court Clerk’s Office on April 29th. Based on past practice with similar orders, this particular document was unfortunately misinterpreted by a detention clerk.
Judge Tupper has since issued a bench warrant for the individual’s arrest. We are currently reviewing internal procedures to ensure this type of error does not happen again with any order from the court.
Chris Amason, Cleveland County Sheriff
News 4 read the statement to D.W. in a separate phone call, and asked her for her thoughts.
"They should feel ashamed of themselves," said D.W. "I thought they were better qualified than that, I don't even have words for it. I'm totally disappointed with the I don't even have words for it. I'm totally disappointed with the Cleveland County Sheriff's Department at this time."
News 4 reached out to the Cleveland County Commissioners' office Wednesday for comment, but they declined.
We also reached out to the Cleveland County District Attorney's office for comment on Wednesday, but did not hear back.
On June 6, hours before the broadcast version of this report was set to air, News 4 received a call from a man identifying himself as Bodnar.
Bodnar asked if he was speaking with a News 4 employee who had stopped by his parents' home Wednesday to speak with him. The News 4 employee confirmed that was the case, but when News 4 employees stopped by Wednesday afternoon, no one came to the door.
"I just kind of found out there's a warrant for my arrest," Bodnar said during the nearly 20-minute phone call.
He told a News 4 employee he didn't want his name to be slandered.
"I thought my charges got dropped, essentially," Bodnar said, when asked about his thoughts on his sudden release months ago.
He said in that time, he's been focused on trying to find a job and building relationships again. He denies D.W.'s allegations, calling them lies. He admitted that an argument took place, but said it was consensual and that he did not hold her in her apartment against her will.
He says he was not given any conditions associated with his release when he was let out of the jail, and that on July 14, he expected to go to court and for a judge to tell him the charges had been dismissed.
"I called my attorney, and he doesn't know anything," said Bodnar. "I'm like, what do you mean you don't know anything, and it took him this long to figure it out."
Bodnar says he doesn't want the assumption to be made that he broke out of jail.
"I don't want the news to just say something bad about me, they let me out," said Bodnar.
Bodnar further emphasized his disappointment with the Cleveland County Detention Center and the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office for the admitted clerical error.
"If somebody made a mistake, somebody needs to be held accountable for what they did," said Bodnar. "It isn't fair to me. It isn't fair to my mental state. This isn't fair to anybody around me, all because of a mistake. The jail has been making mistakes, and I want that to be known also."
A News 4 employee asked Bodnar if he plans to turn himself in, since court records said the warrant for his arrest was granted, and Judge Tupper has ordered that he be notified when Bodnar is back in custody. He said he could turn himself in as early as Friday night, but said he'd definitely do so in the next few days once he got his belongings back to where they needed to be and said goodbye to his family.
It's important to note, News 4 did notify Cleveland County authorities Friday night about Bodnar's call before this report aired.