Oklahoma Board of Pharmacy Fires Executive Director

The Oklahoma Board of Pharmacy fired its Executive Director, Chelsea Church, after state investigators acknowledged Church is the target of a bribery probe involving text messages with a Oklahoma State Health Department general counsel Julie Ezell, who was involved writing the state’s new medical marijuana rules.

In the text messages, Church appears to have offered Ezell a higher paying job in exchange for including the pharmacist requirement in the emergency rules regarding medical marijuana, which were passed earlier this month.

While Church has not been charged with a crime, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation confirmed Church is being investigated and that once the investigation is competed, it will be forwarded to the Oklahoma County District Attorney to consider criminal charges. State investigators are trying to figure out if there were attempts to threaten, influence or bribe anyone related to the Oklahoma Board of Health.

Ezell resigned from her general counsel position days after the emergency rules were approved by the Oklahoma Board of Health and is facing separate criminal charges.

The Oklahoma Board of Health plans to meet next month to consider amending aspects of its new emergency rules, which could involve removing the pharmacist requirement.