An arrest warrant was issued in Beckham County District Court on June 28 for a 34-year-old Elk City man charged with larceny of a vehicle and assault and battery.
The investigation began on June 15 when the alleged victims, a 22-yearold man, and his former co-worker, a 17-year-old Elk City minor, came to the Elk City Police Department to report assault and battery.
The two said they had been employed by Joshua Lennox for approximately two years in his custom wheat harvest business.
Both claimed Lennox was “an abusive employer” and that he required them to keep their vehicles at his Elk City residence.
They said recently the crew had been harvesting near Retrop and Lennox did not want the crew to take their own vehicles. However, the Elk City minor brought his personal vehicle, which reportedly upset Lennox.
Lennox then fired the minor.
Th isleadtotheolderalleged victim deciding to quit later, but said that he was scared because he had allegedly witnessed Lennox “beat up a young employee last year and that he was scared of what he would do.”
The minor agreed to return to Retrop to give the other party a ride back to Elk City.
Once they returned to Elk City, the two alleged victims said they that noticed Lennox driving behind them.
The minor called his father, who instructed the two to drive to his home.
According to the two alleged victims and the other witness, Lennox arrived at this location and assaulted the older alleged victim.
Lennox told police that this did not happen, stating that the younger alleged victim’s father was holding a gun and that would “stupid.”
Lennox also stated that the truck’s windows were tinted, arguing no one could have seen inside.
The felony count of larceny of a vehicle came later.
Lennox had reportedly sent the older alleged victim to CDL school, which he claimed cost him $5,000. Lennox stated that they had agreed to the alleged victim would work for him for two more years in return or give Lennox his pickup.
That evening, Lennox reportedly told officers he would let the young man get his truck from his property and requested police presence during this.
However, Lennox then never returned police calls.
A week later, police filed larceny charges.
