Trena Byas, 57, of Del City, pleaded guilty on Oct. 28 to conspiracy to commit a felony, second-degree forgery and violating the state Computer Crimes Act, according to court records. She was placed on probation for her role in the 2025 scheme.

The case stems from a conspiracy with Ajay Pittman, who was serving as a state representative at the time. Pittman resigned from the Legislature and pleaded guilty to three felonies earlier this year, according to reporting on his case.

The Ethics Commission is the state agency responsible for enforcing campaign finance and ethics rules for Oklahoma elected officials and candidates. Deceiving the commission with a falsified financial document undermines the public disclosure system that voters rely on to hold officials accountable.

The charges against Byas included a computer crimes count, indicating that a state computer system was involved in the conduct. Further details about the specific acts underlying the plea were not immediately available in the sentencing record.

Byas had worked at the Capitol for years before the charges were filed. Her plea and probation sentence close one chapter of a case that has already cost a sitting lawmaker his seat.

The outcome is a reminder that attempts to game the state's ethics enforcement system carry legal consequences, even when they involve people working behind the scenes rather than elected officials themselves.