Governor’s Warrant Puts Newport Beach Man in Jail

John C. Parsons, a Newport Beach businessman accused of defrauding Kansas residents of $200,000 in the sale of Alaskan oil leases, has been jailed on a warrant issued by Gov. George Deukmejian at the request of the governor of Kansas.

Parsons, owner of Citizens Oil and Gas Co., had been free on bail pending extradition proceedings initiated by Kansas authorities. He was served the governor’s warrant at a hearing Tuesday in Orange County Municipal Court in Santa Ana. The warrant demanded that Parsons be jailed and sent back to Kansas, where Parsons faces several felony charges.

Richard Bonner, Parsons’ attorney, said his client had intended to voluntarily surrender to Kansas authorities. Bonner said he was surprised and outraged by the governor’s warrant.

Parsons, who has several previous felony convictions and currently is on parole for a grand theft conviction, also is the subject of an arrest warrant issued by authorities in Arizona. The warrant charges Parsons with violation of his parole.