Jeremiah Gregory sworn in as District 9 DA, vows to 'make right what has been wrong'
He inherits an office under public scrutiny and says trust must be earned, not assumed
Jeremiah Gregory was sworn in Thursday as the District Attorney for Oklahoma's Judicial District 9, taking the office that covers Payne and Logan counties and pledging to make transparency, accountability, and rebuilding public trust the hallmarks of his administration.
Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Robert L. Hudson administered the oath of office in District Judge Katherine Thomas's courtroom on the third floor of the Payne County Courthouse in Stillwater. Hudson held the same office Gregory now occupies for 15 years, from 1996 to 2011, and called his role in the ceremony personally significant.
"I know that the 15 years that I was here was the most joyous time of my life," Hudson said. "It was also the hardest time of my life."
Gregory succeeds Laura Austin Thomas, who served as District 9 DA since 2014. Thomas announced her retirement in April and stepped down April 30. First Assistant District Attorney Jose Villarreal has been serving as acting head of the District 9 office since Thomas's departure. As The Stillwegian reported in April, Gregory ran unopposed after filing for the seat when Thomas announced her retirement.
From Air Force to classroom to courtroom
Incoming District Judge Katherine Thomas — no relation to the outgoing DA — presided over the ceremony and introduced Gregory to those in attendance, outlining a career that ranges from military service to classroom teaching to the courtroom.
Gregory, 41, is a sixth-generation Oklahoman who grew up near Morris on his family's farm. He enlisted in the United States Air Force shortly after Sept. 11, 2001, and deployed to the Middle East multiple times during Operation Enduring Freedom. He studied military intelligence and technology while serving.
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He earned a bachelor's degree with honors in finance and economics from Oklahoma State University, a master's degree in accounting from Kansas State University, and a doctorate in education from OSU before going on to earn his law degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Law.
Before law school, Gregory taught junior high and high school for several years, instructing students in economics, government, history, geography, business, and accounting. He also served as a legal intern for the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office and a judicial intern for the Northwest Administrative District of the Oklahoma District Courts.
After graduating from OU Law, Gregory returned to District 9 as an assistant district attorney, prosecuting felony drug, property, and white-collar crime cases and serving as county civil attorney for Payne County. He has been in private practice in Stillwater for the past six years.
He and his wife, Alicia, a veterinarian, live in Stillwater with their two daughters, Scarlett and Aurora. He also operates a commercial Angus cow-calf operation in Payne County.
'Make right what has been wrong'
In remarks following the oath, Gregory directed separate pledges to four audiences: his office staff, the bar association, law enforcement, and the public.
To the staff of the DA's office, he promised a "doctrine of servant leadership" and said he would work to ensure they have the tools needed to carry out "our sacred mission of equal justice under the law."
"I promise you that the buck will always stop with me," Gregory said.
To the bar association, he pledged professionalism and accessibility, acknowledging that disagreements and courtroom conflicts are part of the job.
"Our system works best when everybody does their job and does it well," Gregory said, quoting an attorney he did not name. "So let us go forth and work to hold each other accountable."
To the public, he offered what may have been his most direct statement of intent.
"You have my pledge that I will do everything in my power to ensure transparency, accountability, and protection of our sacred constitutional rights — to work together and make right what has been wrong," Gregory said. "I want the world to know that character, honesty, and integrity are not a thing of the past."
He said he would measure success in each relationship by the level of trust and respect he earns over time — a phrase he returned to after each pledge.
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What comes next
Gregory is also the DA-elect for the 2026 election and will begin a full four-year term in January. As The Stillwegian reported in May, Gregory moved ahead of taking office to expand civil legal services for Payne County, adding a second part-time civil attorney to county offices July 1.
On Aug. 6, Gregory is scheduled to present a program titled "Path Forward for Payne County Justice System" at the Stillwater Frontier Rotary Club.
The program is expected to address concerns raised by Parents for Payne County, a citizen group that has filed a petition alleging former DA Thomas abused her authority, suppressed evidence, and failed to investigate crimes against children. The group's push for a grand jury review of the District 9 justice system has already drawn statewide attention — Republican gubernatorial candidate Gentner Drummond defended his office's move to block an earlier petition attempt at the same Rotary Club podium in July.
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