October 29, 2022
By Michael Anderson
Tribune Reporter
Greenwood Ward 2 Alderwoman, Jody Lyn Bishop, is wanted in the State of Oklahoma for failing to appear in Craig County Oklahoma District Court on four traffic and misdemeanor drug counts, stemming from a June 7, 2019, traffic stop by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. The arresting officer was Caleb Cole (badge #403) who made the stop near the I-44 Turnpike tollbooths. Alderwoman Bishop was stopped for driving a 2016, 4-door lavender Nissan with expired registration.
During the course of the traffic stop, Jody Bishop was charged with possession of a “plastic baggie with white crystal, field tested for meth and photographed.” For this violation (count 1), Bishop was charged with misdemeanor possession of a controlled dangerous substance, methamphetamine. The maximum penalty for this charge is up to a year in jail and a maximum fine of $1,000.
Count 2 was a misdemeanor violation for possession of drug paraphernalia in the form of a glass pipe. The maximum penalty for this charge is up to a year in jail and a maximum fine of $1,000.
Count 3 was a traffic violation for failure to carry proof of insurance, which is a misdemeanor subject to a fine of not more than $250, or imprisonment for not more than 30 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
Count 4 was a traffic violation for operating a motor vehicle with expired registration, which is a misdemeanor that carries a fine of no less than $10.00 and not to exceed $300.
Alderwoman Bishop was released on her own personal recognizance and assigned a court date of July 24, 2019 at 1:30 p.m. at the Craig County District Court. According to the Oklahoma State Courts Network (case #CM-19-134), she failed to appear and a bench warrant was issued for her arrest, with a recall amount of $2,000 needed to end the bench warrant and receive a new court date.
Alderwoman Bishop has a history of failing to appear for local court dates in Missouri, with bench warrants issued on several occasions that were later withdrawn with the cases being settled.
06/22/2018 Clay County Circuit Court Case: 702470127 – ST V JODY LYN BISHOP Warrant Issued, Failure to appear. Guilty Plea. Defendant sentenced.
03/15/2021 Independence Municipal Court Case: 702949999 – ST V JODY LYN BISHOP Warrant Issued, Failure to appear. Guilty Plea. Defendant sentenced.
04/21/2021 Lee’s Summit Municipal Court Case: 180695819 & 180695820- LEE’S SUMMIT V JODY LYN BISHOP Warrant Issued, Failure to appear. Guilty Plea. Defendant sentenced.
06/21/2021 Lee’s Summit Municipal Court Case: 210240469 – LEE’S SUMMIT V JODY LYN BISHOP Warrant Issued, Failure to appear. Guilty Plea. Defendant sentenced.
Alderwoman Bishop was appointed to office in November of 2021 to fill a vacated seat and then won the April 5, 2022 election (unexpired term) against Scott Lamaster. Her term ends in April of 2023.
