Oklahoma Sen. Rick Brinkley pleads guilty to fraud charge after stealing more than $1.8M from BBB

TULSA — State Sen. Rick Brinkley pleaded guilty Thursday to a federal fraud charge and resigned from the Legislature, effective immediately.

He agreed to pay $1,829,033 in restitution to the Better Business Bureau of Tulsa and $165,625 to the Internal Revenue Service in unpaid taxes.

U.S. District Judge Claire Eagan scheduled his sentencing for Nov. 20. Prosecutors said he could be sentenced to as much as 37 months in federal prison under sentencing guidelines.

Brinkley was charged Wednesday with five wire fraud counts and one tax evasion count.