Jay Man sentenced to 20 years with 12 years suspended for shooting man over stolen tools,

JAY, Okla. – March 24, 2025 – Ronald Springer, a 66-year-old from Jay, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading no contest to shooting a man in the face over stolen tools.

District Judge Jennifer McAffrey suspended 12 years of the sentence on Friday, March 21, 2025, meaning Springer will serve eight years in jail. After release, he’ll be on supervised probation for 12 years, pay a $1,500 fine, and register as a violent offender under Oklahoma’s Mary Rippy Violent Crime Offenders Registration Act.

The shooting happened in late 2024 at Springer’s home in Jay, a town of about 2,500 in Delaware County. Court records say Springer thought the victim stole tools from him and lured the man to his property. During an argument, Springer shot him in the face with a .22-caliber pistol. The victim survived but was seriously injured.

Delaware County Sheriff James Beck said deputies arrested Springer after a 911 call reported the shooting.

Springer faced a charge of shooting with intent to kill, which could have meant life in prison. His no-contest plea avoided a trial. He’ll serve his time in an Oklahoma prison, and after probation, he must register as a violent offender for 10 years under the 2004 Mary Rippy Act, named for a murdered Wewoka woman.

Springer had no prior violent record, which may have led to the suspended sentence. The victim is recovering, but details are limited. The case has divided Jay, with some residents backing the punishment and others questioning its length for a first-time offender.