CHARITY DIRECTOR TO BE TRIED ON FALSE-PRESCRIPTION COUNTS

BARTLESVILLE -- The director of the Bridge Bucy Street Mission has been
bound over for trial on charges of trying to obtain prescription drugs by
fraud.

Washington County Special Judge Myrna Lansdown found that sufficient
evidence exists to try Clark Davenport Snell, 53, on two counts of
attempting to obtain the drug Klonopin with a false prescription. Snell
will enter a plea Aug. 5 before District Judge John Lanning.

The charges come in the midst of financial difficulties for the Bridge
mission, which has been on the verge of closing its doors in recent days
because of a drop in contributions.

Snell and his wife, Sharon, operate the nonprofit west-side mission, which
provides food, clothing and assistance to needy Bartlesville families.

Sharon Snell says the mission will survive all of its trials and tribulations.

"Some of the people we bring food to have no other source," she said. "God
isn't going to cut them off. Something will happen, and we will continue
on."

Clark Snell, who was on probation from a 1993 Washington County drug
conviction, was arrested March 17 at a supermarket pharmacy where he
allegedly tried to obtain a prescription using a false name.

At a preliminary hearing, testimony revealed that he allegedly tried to
obtain a prescription at another Bartlesville pharmacy in March.

The charges carry a four-to 20-year prison term because Snell has a history
of convictions dating back to 1970, most of which involve attempting to get
drugs with false prescriptions.

Assistant District Attorney Steve Kunzweiller said Clark Snell would not be
eligible for probation because of his criminal record.

Checked-by: (Joel W. Johnson)