The Lawyer And The Landman
The Oklahoma Supreme Court has suspended a convicted attorney pending final discipline
The Oklahoma Bar Association (OBA), in compliance with Rules 7.1 and 7.2 of the Rules Governing Disciplinary Proceedings (RGDP), has forwarded to this Court certified copies of the Superseding Information and Judgment In A Criminal Case from the following criminal matter in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma: United States of America v. Blaine Dyer, case no. CR-22-209-001-JD. Respondent Blaine Michael Dyer pled guilty to Count One of the Superseding Information, Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services Wire Fraud, in violation of title 18, U.S. Code, sections 1346 and 1343. The court sentenced Respondent to imprisonment for a total term of 60 months. Respondent is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons by noon on July 1, 2024.
As reported by Oklahoma Minerals, the crime involved misuse of client information
Blaine Dyer, 42, of Oklahoma City, and James Dyer, 39, of Edmond, have been sentenced to a total of 78 months in federal prison for their involvement in a scheme to defraud Continental Resources (CLR), an Oklahoma based oil and gas exploration company, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
In November 2013, the Dyers obtained CLR’s confidential drilling and leasing plans from an insider. Using this information, James negotiated with landowners across Oklahoma to acquire the leases. To cover their tracks, Blaine, James, and their associates created shell companies to handle these transactions.
In 2014, Blaine, James, and others sold some of these leases back to CLR and continued to receive royalty payments through their shell companies until 2020.
A press release from the United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma
On December 19, 2022, a federal grand jury returned an eleven-count Superseding Indictment against Blaine and Jimmy[Dyer], charging them with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and six counts of honest services wire fraud, and charging Blaine with three counts of making a false statement on a promissory note. The Superseding Indictment alleged that Blaine, an attorney who specialized in oil and gas title opinions, and his cousin, Jimmy, who worked as a landman, conspired together to commit wire fraud against Continental Resources (CLR), an oil and gas exploration company based in Oklahoma City. In November 2013, Blaine and Jimmy received CLR’s confidential drilling and leasing plans from an employee of the company. Public record reflects that with knowledge reaped through the illegally obtained CLR plans, Jimmy sought out and negotiated with landowners across Oklahoma, and purchased leases that CLR intended to acquire. To avoid detection, Blaine, Jimmy, and others, formed several shell companies to facilitate these transactions.
The Superseding Indictment further alleged that in 2014, Blaine, Jimmy, and others, sold some of the leases purchased using CLR’s information back to CLR. As part of the agreement, CLR continued to make royalty payments on the leases to the defendants and others through the conspirators’ shell companies.
On February 17, 2023, Blaine pleaded guilty to a one-count Superseding Information, charging him with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud. As part of his plea, Blaine admitted to participating in the conspiracy to purchase leases using CLR’s stolen information, then selling those leases back to CLR, and accepting royalties on the leases through 2020. Jimmy pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud on February 16, 2023.
(Mike Frisch)