Felony charges for not returning VHS tape 21 years ago

by Erika Stanish

NORMAN, OK — A former Oklahoma resident is facing felony embezzlement charges for not returning a VHS tape rented in Norman more than two decades ago.

Online documents show Caron McBride is a wanted woman for never returning ‘Sabrina the Teenage Witch’ on VHS tape in 1999.

“The first thing she told me was felony embezzlement, so, I thought I was gonna have a heart attack,” McBride said.

McBride said she first learned about the charges when trying to change her name on her license after getting married in Texas.

“I went to change my driver’s license, during this COVID thing you had to make an appointment, and so, I sent them an email (and) they sent me an email and they told me… that I had an issue in Oklahoma and this was the reference number for me to call this number and I did,” McBride said.

McBride said the number was to the Cleveland County District Attorney’s Office, where a woman there told her about the charges filed against her.

“She told me it was over the VHS tape and I had to make her repeat it because I thought, this is insane. This girl is kidding me, right? She wasn’t kidding,” McBride said.

Online documents show McBride was charged with felony embezzlement of rented property in March of 2000.

McBride told FOX 25 Tuesday that she doesn’t remember ever renting the movie.

“I had lived with a young man, this was over 20 years ago. He had two kids, daughters that were 8, 10 or 11 years old, and I’m thinking he went and got it and didn’t take it back or something. I have never watched that show in my entire life, just not my cup of tea,” McBride said. “Meanwhile, I’m a wanted felon for a VHS tape.”

Documents show the movie was rented at ‘Movie Place’ in Norman, which is no longer open.

The Cleveland County Assessor’s Office said records show the business closed down in 2008.

Ed Blau with Blau Law Firm told FOX 25 Tuesday that even though there’s technically no victim in the case because of the business closure, Cleveland County could still prosecute the case because charges and a warrant was filed against McBride.

“I mean, I didn’t try to deceive anyone over Samantha (Sabrina) the Teenage Witch. I swear,” McBride said.

McBride said over the last 20 years, she’s been let go from several jobs without being given a reason why. She told FOX 25, now, it all makes sense.

“This is why… because when they ran my criminal background check, all they’re seeing is those two words: felony embezzlement,” McBride said.

We reached out to the Cleveland County District Attorney’s Office on Tuesday to ask about McBride’s case.

On Wednesday, the DA’s office said after reviewing McBride’s case, they’ve decided to dismiss it.

Blau told FOX 25 Thursday that McBride will need to get her case expunged in order to clear her record moving forward.