Jill Ochs-Tontz announces her candidacy for District Attorney

Jill (Ochs) Tontz, Former Assistant District Attorney for Payne and Logan County, announced on Thursday, her campaign for election as District Attorney for Payne and Logan Counties.

Tontz started her legal career after graduating from Oklahoma State University in 2005, as an Intern in 2006 while attending Law School at The University of Tulsa in the Logan County District Attorney’s Office under then District Attorney Robert L. Hudson. In September of 2008, Tontz was hired by District Attorney Hudson as an Assistant District Attorney in Payne County where she remained until February of 2013, handling the toughest and most egregious cases in the office. Tontz has maintained a private legal practice in Logan County since 2013 where she focused heavily on serving families and children.

“I have lived in both Logan and Payne counties throughout my 33 years and this is where I chose to raise my children and maintain my roots. My family spends a lot of time in both counties and they are both home to us. I have served the citizens of these two amazing communities as an Assistant District Attorney and that work was the most rewarding work in my career thus far Tontz said.”

While serving as an Assistant District Attorney in Payne and Logan County, Tontz worked in multiple areas ranging from misdemeanor and felony offenses, juvenile delinquent and deprived, domestic violence, sex crimes, child abuse and child pornography. Tontz was the sole domestic violence/sex crimes prosecutor in Payne county until February 2013. Tontz was also a member of the Oklahoma Bureau of Investigation (ICAC), Internet Crimes Against Children, a group that specialized in prosecuting child pornography and through (ICAC) received extensive training in that area. Tontz has also handled numerous high-profile criminal cases and received extensive trial experience during her time in the District Attorney’s office.

“I am victim oriented and I care about protecting the citizens in these two communities.” Tontz stated “Anyone who knows me or has worked with me knows that I am passionate about my job. There is absolutely nothing more rewarding than to have a child or victim send me Christmas cards, letters, or stop by and see me, to thank me for fighting for them. That is why I am running for District Attorney in 2018.”

Tontz also participated in starting the first “Payne County Coordinated Response Team, or “CCRT”, during her tenure in Payne County which was a community task force for prosecution of crimes in that county. Tontz is driven by the pursuit of justice for victims and believes that a prosecutor has a duty to zealously and aggressively advocate for justice on behalf of children and those who cannot speak for themselves; “Those most vulnerable in our society are our children and our elderly and they deserve a District Attorney that will never tire of doing what is right and advocating on their behalf. They also deserve a District Attorney that respects and listens to victims of violent crime,” Tontz stated.

Additionally, Tontz believes that families in our community deserve our assistance and attention regarding collection of child support and prosecuting those for egregious, willful failure to pay child support. Tontz stated that individuals who refuse to assist those raising children in our community will be held accountable if I am elected through the criminal process.

Tontz was elected the Logan County Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Attorney of the year for 2016 and 2017. “It was a special moment to receive this award in 2016, but two in a row was just humbling. I have enjoyed every moment working with CASA and those in our communities that donate their time and resources to be “one person” to a child who may have no one fighting in their corner. Our District Attorney should be working diligently with groups like CASA to ensure that children are given every opportunity in life to succeed and know they are safe.”

“Upon election, I will restore organization and management to these offices and will focus my resources in areas that affect our citizens the most. I will make it my priority to go zealously prosecute those who victimize children in our society through abuse and neglect or child pornography, this does not include those who have a healthy relationship with adult pornography which is still currently legal in the USA and can be easily accessed via websites such as teeni and other popular online adult entertainment websites that are legal and do not contain child pornography in any shape or form; I will ensure that victims are treated with respect and dignity and have a voice in the judicial process; I will focus my time and energy to continue to work with community groups and service providers to ensure that we rehabilitate when we can through Drug Court, Mental Health Court, and various other alternatives available for non-violent offenders; and I will ensure that repeat, habitual offenders are prosecuted to the full extent of the law and held accountable for their actions.”