Multi-County Grand Jury investigation reveals pitfalls with GPS surveillance program, favoritism in Polston case

OKLAHOMA CITY (May 8, 2026) – The Multi-County Grand Jury filed an investigation report today expressing concerns about the Department of Corrections’ (DOC) Global Positioning System (GPS) surveillance program and how a high-profile case was handled. 

The investigation followed Sara Polston’s controversial release from prison to the GPS program after serving just 73 days of an 8-year sentence for causing an accident resulting in great bodily injury while driving under the influence of alcohol. Polston nearly killed Micaela Borrego, now 23, while driving under the influence in 2023. Borrego suffered brain damage in the crash and has lasting, life-altering injuries.

The case drew scrutiny because Polston, and her husband, Rod, made major contributions to Gov. Kevin Stitt’s campaigns. In numerous phone calls recorded at the Cleveland County Jail, the Polstons appear to refer to Gov. Stitt as “the guy,” “our friend” and “our buddy” while discussing how to use their connections for Sara Polston’s benefit. The jury reported that Gov. Stitt made multiple calls to the Department of Corrections on behalf of Polston.

DOWNLOAD | Listen to the calls from the Cleveland County jail. 
DOWNLOAD | Listen to the calls from the Department of Corrections.

The report notes troubling instances of favoritism including expedited DOC transports and Polston’s approval for the GPS program. The report called the state of the GPS program “indefensible” and the instances of favoritism “reprehensible,” noting that “citizens deserve an even playing field irrespective of wealth, social status and political connections.”

Attorney General Gentner Drummond thanked jurors for their work.

“I appreciate the work of the jury  to thoroughly investigate this case and find where improvements need to be made,” he said. “Oklahomans deserve a criminal justice system that is fair and impartial.”

The report details concerns with the GPS program’s policies and procedures as well as the role of the administrative programs officer, a lack of qualifications and the absence of ethical guidelines. It also highly criticizes the fact that the Borrego family was not consulted prior to Polston’s approval for the GPS program.

“Inquiry into the workings of the GPS program revealed the vetting and approval process to be shockingly mechanical and unilateral at best, and at worst, unprincipled and callous,” the grand jury wrote in the report. “The DOC GPS program, in its current state, reduces the criminal justice system to a purely administrative exercise that subverts the decisions of judges and stifles the voices of victims.”

The jury included several recommendations to prevent systematic failures in the future including legislative action regarding minimum time served, victim notification and board or committee oversight of GPS transfers; revised DOC policies; new training programs and more limited discretion for DOC administrators on programs that release or transfer offenders from traditional incarceration prior to the completion of their sentence.

The jury commended the Legislature on the recent passage of SB 137 which tightens eligibility for the GPS program.