What court records reveal about Bartlesville council candidate Amanda Veley's past
Andy Dossett | The Wiley Post
Sept 22, 2026
Amanda Veley marked "No" on the declaration she signed to run for Bartlesville City Council Ward 4 when asked about felony history.
Court records reviewed by The Wiley Post, however, document guilty pleas in two felony cases that have since disappeared from Oklahoma's public court-record search.
The cases are part of a court history spanning more than two decades that includes felony and misdemeanor cases, multiple arrests, an unsuccessful 2020 attempt to expunge her criminal record, municipal larceny convictions and a Chapter 7 bankruptcy case that was dismissed without discharging her debts.
What happened to the two felony cases after Veley's unsuccessful expungement attempt remains unclear.
The Wiley Post provided Veley with detailed questions about her criminal history, the missing court cases, financial records and more.
After making multiple attempts, she did not respond by the time of publication. The official Veley campaign Facebook page also blocked the Wiley Post reporter who contacted her for comment.
Felony cases
In 2020, Veley petitioned Washington County District Court to expunge her criminal record. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation objected, telling the court that its records showed Veley had been convicted of two nonviolent felony offenses.
The court denied her expungement request, finding that she did not qualify for the relief she sought.
The two felony cases identified in those proceedings, CF-2006-128 and CF-2012-411, no longer appear in public searches of the Oklahoma State Courts Network.
Oklahoma law allows qualifying criminal records, including court records, to be sealed from public access through expungement. However, the absence of the two cases from OSCN does not, by itself, establish that they were later expunged or explain why they are no longer publicly available.
Support The Wiley Post's mission. Become a subscriber today and help sustain independent journalism that keeps our community informed, holds leaders accountable, and tells the stories that matter.
The Wiley Post asked Veley whether either case had since been expunged and, if so, when. She did not respond.
Other records reviewed by The Wiley Post document charges and dispositions associated with the cases.
Records associated with the cases list charges including second-degree forgery and possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute, with methamphetamine identified in the records. Another charge involved carrying a weapon, drugs or alcohol into a jail.
Court records indicate Veley entered guilty pleas in felony cases in 2006 and 2012. Records reviewed by The Wiley Post show she received a five-year sentence for one felony conviction. The Wiley Post could not establish how much, if any, of that sentence Veley served in custody.
Veley's criminal record did not end with those felony cases.
Tulsa County court records show she pleaded guilty in 2014 to false pretense under $500 or a confidence game. OSBI records indicate she served 180 days in jail for that conviction.
Bartlesville Municipal Court records also show a guilty plea in larceny cases in 2020 and a no-contest plea to larceny in 2023.
Larceny generally means taking someone else's property without permission, essentially theft.
An OSBI criminal-history record shows Veley was arrested on a larceny charge in 2023, on a confidence-game charge in 2014 and twice on shoplifting charges in 2005.
Veley marked "No" on felony disclosure
Veley's criminal history raises another question — this one about the paperwork she signed to become a candidate for Bartlesville City Council.
On her Aug. 5 declaration of candidacy for the Ward 4 seat, Veley was asked whether she had been convicted, pleaded guilty or no contest, or otherwise been found guilty of a felony under Oklahoma or federal law.
Veley marked "No."
The declaration states that candidates who answer "Yes" must complete an additional Criminal History Disclosure form. It also asks those candidates whether 15 years or more have passed since completion of their sentence.
Veley signed the declaration under an oath affirming that the information she provided was "true and correct."
Court records reviewed by The Wiley Post, however, document felony guilty pleas involving Veley.
Whether Veley's felony cases were subsequently expunged remains unclear.
The Oklahoma State Election Board has previously considered the effect of an expunged felony guilty plea on a candidate's qualifications.
In the 2016 candidacy contest Virgin v. Perry, the board considered a legislative candidate who pleaded guilty to a felony in 2008. The board determined that the guilty plea still counted under Oklahoma's candidate-qualification law despite the subsequent § 991c disposition and expungement. The board found Perry was disqualified under the law then in effect and ordered his name removed from the ballot.
The 2016 decision involved the candidate-qualification law in effect at the time and does not by itself establish the effect, if any, of Veley's criminal history on her 2026 candidacy.
The Washington County Election Board told The Wiley Post that declarations are generally accepted unless the document, on its face, shows the candidate does not meet the qualifications for office. Oklahoma law provides a short window to formally contest a candidacy, with challenges generally due by 5 p.m. on the second business day following the close of filing.
More than $130,000 in listed debts at age 26
Veley filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in federal court in October 2005, at age 26.
The bankruptcy schedules listed 62 debts, including credit card medical bills and debts to local businesses. A line-by-line calculation by The Wiley Post found the listed debts totaled approximately $134,810.
Veley's filing reported no employment income or monthly income.
The bankruptcy paperwork also contained significant inconsistencies in its liability totals. One portion of the filing reported $124,479.12 in liabilities, about $10,331 less than the total of the individual debts listed. Elsewhere, the filing reported liabilities of only $12,449.12. A summary listed the figure as $1,244,912.
The bankruptcy case did not result in a discharge of Veley's debts.
Veley had received permission to pay the $209 filing fee in installments. The court later dismissed the case March 8, 2006, for failure to pay the required fee.
A trustee's final report said no money was collected or distributed through the bankruptcy. The trustee also reported that Veley had not provided proof of her Social Security number or turned over requested records.
Veley later faced additional debt litigation in Washington County.
National Collegiate Student Loan obtained a judgment against her. By 2016, attorneys for the creditor were seeking to garnish more than $12,000 in principal, court costs and attorney fees.
Court records show the judgment remained the subject of filings years later, including a renewal filed in July 2025.
Veley co-founded Bartlesville nonprofit REBO Foundation
Veley currently serves as vice president and co-founder of The REBO Foundation, a Bartlesville-based nonprofit that says it received federal 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status in 2025.
The organization solicits tax-deductible donations and says it is working to develop shelters, addiction-recovery programs and other services.
According to the organization, it projects an annual budget of about $150,000.
REBO describes itself as a grassroots government-watchdog and civic-engagement organization. Its website says the group investigates government actions, public contracts, spending, alleged corruption and misconduct; files public-record requests; publishes investigative reports; and accepts confidential reports about alleged wrongdoing by public officials, law enforcement and courts.
The organization also says it provides civic education through videos, town halls, seminars and workshops; offers youth leadership training and internships; advocates for government and public-safety reforms; promotes law-enforcement accountability and civil-rights protections; supports local businesses; and organizes residents around civic issues.
Its website describes separate operations for political advocacy and lobbying and for educational programs and says it raises money for investigations, community outreach, technology, legal expenses and other activities.
You made it to the end. Thank you for reading. We believe local news should be available to everyone, not hidden behind a paywall. Readers who support The Wiley Post help us keep it that way. Please consider joining them.
Amanda Veley’s Declaration of Candidacy