Former OKC councilman finds new calling for life
by Nolan Clay
The former Oklahoma City councilman who resigned in 2018 after being charged is now a Baptist preacher.
"It took a major storm in my life to answer God's call," John A. Pettis Jr. said Friday. "You see I was one that wanted to always be in politics but also knew God was calling me. But I yet ignored His call and decided to do politics first."
Pettis testified as a character witness for Oklahoma County District Judge Kendra Coleman at her ouster trial before the Court on the Judiciary. He said the church support in the community for the judge has not wavered.
Pettis resigned as a councilman in May 2018 after he was charged with three felony counts of embezzlement and one felony count of intentionally failing to file state income tax returns. He had served Ward 7 for five years. He was running for county commissioner at the time and lost in the Democratic primary election.
Prosecutors dismissed the embezzlement counts last year because of evidence issues and reduced the tax count to a misdemeanor.
He was put on probation and fined $5,000 after pleading guilty to the reduced count in August 2019. He agreed to never seek office again.
He said Friday he now works at Millwood Public Schools and volunteers at Faith, Hope and Love Missionary Baptist Church in Oklahoma City.
He has been a licensed Baptist minister for approximately two years, according to his testimony.
Pettis spoke bitterly about being charged, and criticized District Attorney David Prater.
"I was like many young people," he said. "Young people make mistakes all the time. And I made the unfortunate mistake of not filing my taxes on time."
He acknowledge he had owed the state $4,512 in taxes.
"But how many people in the state of Oklahoma owe millions?" Pettis said. "The district attorney failed to go after them but he came after a poor Black man for, again, owing $4,512 which was paid in full. ... Sometimes in our legal system ... prosecutors forget the word 'grace.'"
He said he was polling at 80% in the county commissioner race prior to the charge.
"I know what she's going through," Pettis said of the judge. "If anybody know in Oklahoma County, if anybody know in the state of Oklahoma, it is John A. Pettis Jr."