Eastern District of Oklahoma

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announces that Trae Allen Cordell, age 30, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm.

The Indictment alleged that on April 3, 2024, Cordell knowingly and intentionally possessed 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, with intent to distribute.  The Indictment also alleged that on the same date, Cordell knowingly possessed two semi-automatic pistols after having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.  Cordell will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Lee Edward Redman, age 52, of Edmond, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of attempting to coerce and entice a minor into illegal sexual activity.

The Indictment alleged that beginning on or about October 21, 2022, and continuing until October 24, 2022, Redman knowingly attempted to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce an individual under the age of 18 years old to engage in sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The Honorable Judge D. Edward Snow, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Redman will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Vince Harjo, age 36, of Glenpool, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 48 months imprisonment and lifetime supervised release for possessing sexually explicit material of a minor.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police Department.

On September 11, 2023, Harjo pleaded guilty to an Information of one count of Possession of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Child.  According to investigators, on February 4, 2023, law enforcement officers responding to a call in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, discovered Harjo in possession of images on his cell phone which depicted the sexual exploitation of a child.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

We encourage anyone who suspects or has information regarding child sexual exploitation, trafficking of minors, sextortion, child pornography, or any other means of child exploitation to immediately contact law enforcement.  You can file a report on the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)'s website at www.cybertipline.com, call 1-800-843-5678, contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or call 877-4-HSI TIP.

The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.  Harjo will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Satter represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jeffrey Wayne Thompson, age 48, of Fort Worth, Texas, entered a guilty plea to an Indictment charging him with one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition.

The Indictment alleged that February 21, 2023, Thompson knowingly possessed a firearm and six rounds of ammunition after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The Honorable D. Edward Snow, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.  Thompson was allowed to remain on bond pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Michael E. Robinson represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Teresa Louise Lightfoot, age 51, of Wilburton, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

The Indictment alleged that on September 28, 2023, Lightfoot knowingly possessed a semiautomatic pistol after having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Latimer County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.  Lightfoot will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Zachary Carlton Ty Capps, age 29, of Idabel, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 210 months in prison for one count of Second Degree Murder in Indian Country, and 120 months in prison for one count of Using, Carrying, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and In Relation to a Crime of Violence.  The sentences are set to be served consecutively for a total of 330 months in prison.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the McCurtain County Sheriff’s Office, and the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police.

On September 12, 2023, Capps pleaded guilty to the charges.  According to investigators, on the evening of November 15, 2022, Capps fatally shot the victim in the head with a .44 caliber revolver.  The crimes occurred in McCurtain County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Kenneth J. Gonzales, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Capps will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin D. Traster represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announces that Danny Ray Gordon, III, age 33, of Lone Grove, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 77 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Carter County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

On May 29, 2024, Gordon pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.  According to investigators, on December 16, 2023, law enforcement conducting a routine traffic stop discovered Gordon in possession of a .32ACP caliber semi-automatic pistol and several rounds of ammunition.  At the time of the stop, Gordon had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and was prohibited from possessing firearms.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the sentencing hearing.  Gordon will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorney T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Robert Eric Wadkins, age 43, of Antlers, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 293 months in prison and a life term of supervision upon his release for one count of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Choctaw County Sheriff’s Department, and the Pushmataha County Sheriff’s Office.

On January 12, 2023, Wadkins pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on June 5, 2017, Wadkins physically assaulted and sexually assaulted the victim.  The crime occurred in Choctaw and Pushmataha Counties, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.  Wadkins will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorney Sarah McAmis represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Joseph Celdon Mullins, age 22, of Wewoka, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information charging him with Second Degree Murder in Indian Country and Use, Carry, Brandish and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.

According to the Information, on June 20, 2023, Mullins intentionally discharged a firearm, unlawfully killing the victim with malice aforethought.

The crimes occurred in Seminole County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The charges arose from investigations by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department, the Seminole Nation Lighthorse Police Department, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.  Mullins will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Miranda Morgan Pauley, age 32, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 188 months in prison for one count of Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Adair County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma Drug Task Force 27, the United States Marshals Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

On October 12, 2023, Pauley pleaded guilty to possessing over 50 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it.   According to investigators, on January 11, 2023, law enforcement officers learned that John Tillison, an individual with active arrest warrants, was located at Pauley’s residence.  Law enforcement attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Tillison as it left the residence, but Tillison fled.  Law enforcement pursued, ending the chase by deploying tire deflation devices.  Tillison ran from the scene but was later captured, and Pauley, Tillison’s passenger, was taken into custody.  A search of the vehicle located a loaded revolver between the driver’s seat and console, along with nearly $18,000 in United States Currency and approximately 890 grams of methamphetamine.  Law enforcement officers subsequently executed a search warrant on Pauley’s residence where they discovered another 992 grams of methamphetamine and various rounds of ammunition.

The Honorable Kenneth J. Gonzales, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Pauley will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Travis Earl Eubanks, age 36, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Adair County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On May 8, 2024, Eubanks pleaded guilty to the crime.  According to investigators, on January 28, 2024, during an assault that lasted over four hours, Eubanks choked, hit, kicked, smothered, and stabbed an individual at a Stilwell, Oklahoma, residence.  The crime occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.  Eubanks will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Presley Edward Lawson, age 50, of Spiro, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Trails Task Force.

On October 3, 2023, Lawson pleaded guilty to Distribution of Methamphetamine.  According to investigators, on June 8, 2022, Lawson sold over 222 grams—approximately one half-pound—of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.

The Honorable Kenneth J. Gonzalez, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Lawson will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Flanigan represented the United States at sentencing.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Raheem Travon Walker, age 22, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.

The charges arose from an investigation by the United States Marshals Service and the Muskogee Police Department.

On January 3, 2024, Walker pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition.  According to investigators, on October 28, 2023, while responding to a report of a disturbance at a Muskogee residence, officers discovered Walker in possession of one 9mm Luger caliber semi-automatic pistol and 12 rounds of 9mm Lugar caliber ammunition.  At the time of the disturbance, Walker had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and was prohibited from possessing firearms.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.  Walker will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edith Singer and Lewis Reagan represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Christopher Kent Leondis Honeycutt, age 44, of Wagoner, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.

The Information alleged that on January 24, 2024, Honeycutt knowingly possessed 50 grams or more of mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, with intent to distribute.  The Information also alleged that on that same date, Honeycutt knowingly possessed a semi-automatic pistol and 56 rounds ammunition, shipped and transported in interstate commerce, despite having previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and knowing of such conviction.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations.

The Honorable D. Edward Snow, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.  Honeycutt will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Matthew Hunter Colville, age 32, of Mount Pleasant, Texas, was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day in prison for the illegal possession of a firearm.

The charges arose from an investigation by the United States Marshals Service, the Eastern District of Oklahoma Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

On March 19, 2024, Colville pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.  According to investigators, on September 24, 2023, members of the U.S. Marshals Violent Crime Fugitive Task Force apprehended Colville on outstanding arrest warrants out of the state of Texas for Aggravated Assault on a Public Servant and Unlawful Possession of Firearm by a Felon.  While taking him into custody, law enforcement seized a chamber-loaded 9mm pistol and a loaded magazine from Colville.  At the time of the arrest, Colville had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and was prohibited from possessing firearms.

The Honorable John C. Coughenour, Senior U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the sentencing hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Colville will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Geizura and Edith Singer represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Timothy Kenneth Barber, age 44, of Hartshorne, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Indictment charging him with one count of Second-Degree Murder in Indian Country.

The Indictment alleged that on December 20, 2023, Barber killed the victim with malice aforethought.

The crime occurred in Pittsburg County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police.

The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.  Barber was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Michael E. Robinson represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Wilbert Lamon Rivers, age 26, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.

The Indictment alleged that on November 4, 2023, Rivers knowingly possessed a semiautomatic pistol and forty rounds of ammunition after having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Muscogee (Creek) Lighthorse Police Department, the Okmulgee Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.  Rivers will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dimitri Antoine-Zacharia Grant, age 26, of Miami, Florida, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.

The charges arose from an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office.

On May 14, 2024, Grant pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on May 8, 2023, a Sequoyah County deputy pulled Grant over for a traffic violation. During the stop, law enforcement discovered Grant in possession of approximately 6,900 grams—over 15 pounds—of methamphetamine packed in seven clear baggies distributed between three backpacks.

The Honorable John C. Coughenour, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee. Grant will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announces that James Timothy Mathis, age 43, of Muldrow, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for illegal possession of a firearm.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

On August 8, 2023, Mathis pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.  According to investigators, on March 4, 2023, a Sequoyah County deputy performing a routine traffic stop discovered Mathis in possession of a loaded .38 SPL caliber revolver.  At the time of the stop, Mathis had been convicted of a punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and was prohibited from possessing firearms.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The Honorable John C. Coughenour, Senior U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the sentencing hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Mathis will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorney T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States at the sentencing hearing.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Shauna Raye Henderson, age 46, of Poteau, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 24 months each for one count of distribution of fentanyl and one count of distribution of methamphetamine.  The terms are set to be served concurrently.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the Oklahoma Bureau of Investigation, and the District 16 Drug Task Force.

On March 12, 2024, Henderson pleaded guilty to the charges.  According to investigators, on March 9, 2023, Henderson sold pills containing approximately 5 grams of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance.  On June 22, 2023, Henderson sold approximately 55 grams of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.

The Honorable John C. Coughenour, Senior U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Henderson will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Joseph Gene Christie, age 18, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 87 months in prison for one count of Sexual Abuse in Indian Country.  Christie will have to register and comply with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act upon release.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, the Cherokee Nation Lighthorse Police, the Stilwell Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On January 5, 2024, Christie was charged in a single-count Felony Information of Sexual Abuse in Indian Country.  On January 18, 2024, Christie pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on March 6, 2023, Christie sexually assaulted an individual at a Stilwell residence.  The crime occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable John C. Coughenour, Senior U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Christie will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicole Paladino and Benjamin D. Traster represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Travis Wayne Jones, age 40, of McAlester, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 51 months in prison for illegal possession of a firearm.

The charges arose from investigations by the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

On May 6, 2024, Jones pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.  According to investigators, on January 11, 2024, deputies with the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office arrested Jones and found a 9mm firearm on his person.  At the time of the arrest, Jones had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and was prohibited from possessing firearms.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.  Jones will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Lawrence Fourkiller, age forty-eight, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 420 months imprisonment, followed by a life-time term of supervised release, for one count of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child in Indian Country.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Stilwell Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The FBI investigation was opened following the submission of an online tip from a concerned third party.

Fourkiller pleaded guilty to the charge on April 11, 2024.  According to investigators, between August 2020 and May 2021, Fourkiller, while employed as a teacher at Stilwell Elementary School, sexually abused a student under the age of twelve.  During the investigation, the FBI set up a designated tip-line which led to the discovery of twelve additional victims.  The crime occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

“As a teacher, the defendant violated the trust of his position and preyed upon innocent children,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater.  “Today’s sentencing holds him accountable for his crimes and he will not be able to harm another child.  The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community.”

“The defendant used his position as a teacher to prey upon and attempt to silence his victims,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson.   “Fortunately, one disclosure led to others, and the defendant’s despicable acts were exposed.  It is the mission of the United States Attorney’s Office to hold offenders accountable and to pursue justice for victims, and I commend the work of our law enforcement partners and prosecutors in fulfilling that mission on this case.”

The Honorable John C. Coughenour, Senior U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Fourkiller will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorneys Caila M. Cleary and Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – Christopher J. Wilson, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Cameron McEwen will lead the Eastern District’s efforts in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election.  AUSA McEwen has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Eastern District, which is comprised of twenty-six counties in eastern, southeastern, and southcentral Oklahoma.  In that capacity, he is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.

The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud.  The Department will address these violations wherever they occur.  The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.

Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input.  It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice.  The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).

“The right and ability to vote is the cornerstone of our American democracy,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson.  “We all must ensure that those entitled to participate in the election process can exercise that right if they choose, and those who seek to corrupt it are held accountable.  In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA McEwen will be on duty in this District while the polls are open.  He can be reached by calling 918-684-5174.”

In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day.  The FBI National Threat Operations Center can be reached by the public at 1-800-CALL-FBI [(800) 225-5324].

Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/.

Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities.  State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Richard Dale Lea, age 43, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 37 months for illegally possessing a firearm.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Tahlequah Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

On February 14, 2024, Lea pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.   According to investigators, on April 9, 2023, Lea was found in possession of two loaded semi-automatic pistols during the search of a vehicle by Tahlequah Police.  At the time of the investigation, Lea had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The Honorable John C. Coughenour, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee.  Lea will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Daniel Levi Magness, age 35, of Okfuskee County, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to two counts of Child Abuse, one count of Child Neglect, one count of Maiming, and one count of being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

The Indictment alleged that between January 1, 2023, and January 31, 2024, Magness maliciously caused and threatened harm, failed to protect from harm, and tortured two children for whom Magness was responsible.  The Indictment also alleged that during that same time, Magness willfully failed to provide adequate nurturance, food, shelter, hygiene, medical care, and supervision to those same children.  Additionally, the Indictment alleged that during that same time, Magness, intending to torture, maim, and disfigure, cut the ear of one child.  Finally, the Indictment alleged that on January 31, 2024, Magness knowingly possessed a Ruger semi-automatic pistol, one .22 caliber revolver, one .22 WMR caliber, bolt action rifle, and one 20 gauge shotgun after having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.

The crimes occurred in Okfuskee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.  Magness was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Paladino represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kelly Don Girty, Jr., age 30, of Gore, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 46 months for illegally possessing a firearm. The Court ordered the federal sentence to run consecutive to state sentences Girty received in the District Court of Sequoyah County.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

On May 2, 2024, Girty pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.  According to investigators, on January 7, 2024, a Sequoyah County Sheriff’s deputy conducting a routine traffic stop discovered Girty in possession of a .22 caliber bolt action rifle.  At the time of the stop, Girty had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and was prohibited from possessing firearms.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The Honorable John C. Coughenour, Senior U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Girty will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kaira Leigh Wilson, age 35, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 48 months in prison for one count of Child Abuse in Indian Country.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Idabel Police Department.

On January 11, 2024, Wilson, was found guilty by a federal jury at trial of the charge.  According to investigators, on March 12, 2020, law enforcement responding to a 911 call at an Idabel residence discovered an unresponsive 6-month-old infant.  EMS responders began life-saving measures and rushed the infant to the hospital for acute respiratory failure.  Medical professionals successfully resuscitated and stabilized the infant.  Medical scans revealed fresh injuries consistent with non-accidental trauma, including a subdural hematoma and extensive retinal hemorrhages.  The infant also sustained vision loss in one eye.  A subsequent investigation revealed that prior to the 911 call, a witness in the residence observed Wilson throw the infant against a wall.

The crime occurred in McCurtain County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation of Oklahoma, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

“I commend the work of the first responders and medical staff in diagnosing and treating the defenseless victim and want to thank the investigators for tirelessly working to determine how the injuries were inflicted,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson.  “I also applaud the Assistant United States Attorneys who effectively presented the case at trial and compassionately advocated for the victim and the victim’s family at the sentencing hearing.  We recognize the discretion of the Court in sentencing and respect the decision.”

The Honorable John C. Coughenour, Senior U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee.  Wilson will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Morgan Muzljakovich and Sarah McAmis represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jerry Lee Matlock, Jr., age 41, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 168 months in prison for one count of Second Degree Murder in Indian Country, and 120 months in prison for one count of Use, Carry, Brandish and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.  The sentences are set to be served consecutively for a total of 288 months in prison.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Adair County Sheriff’s Office, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

On February 12, 2024, Matlock pleaded guilty to the charges.  According to investigators, on the evening of September 14, 2021, Matlock intentionally fired his rifle at an individual from inside a pickup truck, then drove from the scene of the crime.  Adair County deputies responding to a shooting discovered a Stilwell resident deceased from a gunshot wound to the chest.  Law enforcement apprehended Matlock less than a mile away, parked in his pickup truck, with a Remington 700 bolt action rifle and ammunition.  The crimes occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable John C. Coughenour, Senior U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Matlock will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jasmine Rae Valdez, age 25, of Pontotoc County, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country.

The Indictment against Valdez alleged that, on August 29, 2023, Valdez aided and abetted an attack on an individual with a dangerous weapon.  The assault resulted in serious bodily injury to the victim.  The crimes occurred in Pontotoc County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.  Valdez was remanded into the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Leslie Ray Upchurch, age 35, of McAlester, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea one count of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.

The Indictment alleged that on April 28, 2023, Upchurch, having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and knowing of such conviction, knowingly possessed one Ruger 9mm Luger caliber semi-automatic pistol and several rounds of assorted 9mm Luger caliber ammunition.

The charges arose from an investigation by the McAlester Police Department, the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.  Upchurch was remanded into the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Keith Wyatt Underwood, age 32, of Haskell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 77 months in prison for one count of Robbery in Indian Country.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Haskell Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

On July 10, 2023, Underwood pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on July 24, 2022, Underwood was discovered by a property owner stealing copper cables from a Muskogee County property.  Underwood then pulled a revolver on the resident before driving away with the stolen cables.  The crime occurred in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable John C. Coughenour, Senior District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Underwood will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin D. Traster represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Ryan John Capps, age 25, of Calera, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 300 months in prison for one count of Coercion and Enticement, and 300 months in prison for one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Child/Use of a Child to Produce a Visual Depiction.  Capps was also sentenced to 180 months in prison for one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country.  The sentences were ordered to be served concurrently.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Durant Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On May 1, 2024, Capps was found guilty of the charges by a federal jury.  According to investigators, in the autumn of 2022, while employed as a teacher and coach at Durant Middle School, Capps enticed a minor student to produce child sexual abuse material and engage in sexual activity.  The crimes occurred in Bryan County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation of Oklahoma, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

“This defendant abused his position of trust as a teacher and coach by sexually exploiting a student he was supposed to protect,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater.  “I’m grateful for the dedicated efforts of the FBI, the Durant Police Department, and the US Attorney’s Office to remove this predator from the lives of innocent children through the justice system.”

“The defendant violated the trust placed in him as a teacher in order to exploit the victim for his own prurient interests,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson.  “The jury’s verdict and the sentences imposed by the Court are a resounding message that those who commit these deplorable acts will be subjected to the justice system and severely punished.”

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

We encourage anyone who suspects or has information regarding child sexual exploitation, trafficking of minors, sextortion, child pornography, or any other means of child exploitation to immediately contact law enforcement.  You can file a report on the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)'s website at www.cybertipline.com, call 1-800-843-5678, contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or call 877-4-HSI TIP.

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing in Muskogee.  Capps will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorneys Jessie K. Pippin and Jessica Bove represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Eduardo Garcia, age 55, Eric Lopez, age 46, Eric Jesus Lopez, age 28, Savanna Jade Lopez, age 28, Francisco Hernandez, age 25, and Christian Lopez, age 27, each of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, were sentenced on federal firearms charges.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Eduardo Garcia, aka Eduardo Garcia Olvera, aka Eduardo Olvera Garcia, aka “Lalo”, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.  On May 18, 2023, Garcia pleaded guilty to the charge.

Eric Lopez, Eric Jesus Lopez, Savanna Jade Lopez, and Christian Lopez each pleaded guilty to one count of False Statements During the Purchase of a Firearm and were sentenced to five years’ probation.

Francisco Hernandez pleaded guilty to one count of False Statements During the Purchase of a Firearm and was sentenced to four years’ probation.

According to investigators, on November 4, 2022, ATF agents discovered Eduardo “Lalo” Garcia in possession of one 20 GA Browning Light Twenty shotgun, one 20 GA Mossberg model 185K shotgun, one 9mm Ruger PC Carbine, and one completely built AR-15 style upper receiver in 5.56 NATO caliber, together with 19 empty gun boxes for manufactured firearms and over 2,900 rounds of ammunition, all shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce.  At the time Garcia possessed the firearms, he had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and was prohibited from possessing firearms.

An investigation by ATF agents revealed that five of those gun boxes bore serial numbers that matched firearms purchased for Garcia.

The investigation also revealed that between October of 2021 and October 2022, Eric Lopez, Eric Jesus Lopez, Savanna Jade Lopez, Christian Lopez, and Francisco Hernandez purchased a total of 107 firearms from four licensed firearms retailers in the Tahlequah and Muskogee areas.  For each purchase, the defendants falsely stated on a Department of Justice ATF Form 4473 that they were the actual buyers of the firearms.  In reality, the defendants were purchasing the firearms for Garcia, who was unable to complete purchases due to his felony conviction.  Law enforcement in Mexico recovered one of those firearms, a Glock 9mm pistol, five months after a family member purchased it for Garcia.

“Enforcing federal firearm regulations is a crucial part of protecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens and ensuring public safety,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson.  “Felons like Mr. Garcia and others who would otherwise not be able to legitimately purchase or possess firearms often look for buyers with no previous criminal history to act as straw purchasers on their behalf.  Garcia and his co-defendants attempted to thwart the safeguards and are being held accountable for their acts.”

“When family and friends choose to commit crime together, they become felons together.  Federal firearms laws are designed to keep weapons from those that shouldn’t have them, and today’s sentencing is a notice to all that ATF and its partners will relentlessly pursue those who choose to ignore them. Whether you are a felon in possession or supplying prohibited persons with firearms, we will find you and prosecute,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The Honorable Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Garcia will remain out of custody pending assignment to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Charles Edward Ketcher, Jr., age 33, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Adair County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

On March 15, 2024, Ketcher pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.  According to investigators, on October 14, 2023, Ketcher was captured on a surveillance camera carrying a rifle.  At the time Ketcher possessed the rifle, he knew he had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.   Ketcher was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Robinson represented the United States at the sentencing hearing.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Wesley Wayne Sutton, age 59, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to Arson in Indian Country.

The Indictment alleged that, on June 1, 2024, Sutton maliciously set fire to a dwelling.  The crime occurred in Cherokee County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Tahlequah Fire Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.  Sutton will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Catherine Victoria Rogers, age 51, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Acquiring a Controlled Substance by Misrepresentation, Fraud, Forgery, and Deception.

The Indictment alleged that beginning on or about August 1, 2023, and continuing until on or about November 14, 2023, Rogers knowingly and intentionally obtained Hydrocodone, a Schedule II controlled substance, by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, and deception.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Office of the Inspector General.

According to investigators, Rogers was a nurse at the VA Medical Center in Muskogee. Without permission or authority, Rogers took approximately 132 hydrocodone pills from the medical center’s medication storage and distribution system.

The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Satter represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Joe Soriano III, age 55, of Poteau, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 10 months in prison for two counts of Distribution of Fentanyl.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, and the District 16 Drug Task Force.

On February 6, 2024, Soriano pleaded guilty to the charges.  According to investigators, on January 5, 2023, and January 12, 2023, Soriano was captured on video selling a total of 50 pills containing Fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance.

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.  Soriano will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Phillip Dale Wilson, age 72, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 204 months each on two counts of Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country.  The terms are to be served concurrently for a total prison term of 17 years.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.

On December 18, 2023, Phillip Dale Wilson pleaded guilty to the charges.  According to investigators, beginning in December of 1999 and continuing until November of 2005, Wilson sexually abused a child he knew to be under the age of 12.  Investigators also established that between April 2004 and March 2011, Wilson sexually abused a second child he knew to be under the age of 12.  The investigation further revealed that between September 2001 and December 2015 Wilson sexually abused three other children under the age of 12 and another child under the age of 16.

The crimes occurred in Cherokee County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

“This case demonstrates the commitment of the FBI to investigate anyone who would harm the most vulnerable members of the community, our children,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater.  “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to relentlessly pursue child sex offenders and send them to federal prison where they belong.”

“Due in large part to the bravery of the victims and the exceptional investigative work of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI, the defendant will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson.  “No prison sentence can undo the physical and emotional damage the defendant inflicted on his victims, but I hope they can have some measure of peace in knowing the defendant no longer poses a threat to them or other children.”

The Honorable Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach, Chief District Judge in the United States District Court for Puerto Rico, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Wilson will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Paladino represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announces that Terry Joseph Dunnavent, age 39, of Sallisaw, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 76 months imprisonment for illegally possessing a firearm.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Sallisaw Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

On January 4, 2024, Dunnavent pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.  According to investigators, on January 3, 2023, Sallisaw Police discovered Dunnavent in possession of a 9mm semi-automatic pistol after Dunnavent attempted to evade a routine traffic stop, crashed his vehicle, ran from the crash site, and officers gave chase.  At the time of the offense, Dunnavent knowingly possessed the firearm despite having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the sentencing hearing.  Dunnavent will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorney T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announces that Bobby Laymone Sanders, age 64, of Sallisaw, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 27 months imprisonment for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

On November 1, 2023, Sanders pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition.  According to investigators, on April 13, 2023, law enforcement discovered Sanders in possession of one .40 S&W caliber semi-automatic pistol and two rounds of ammunition during the execution of a search warrant at a home in Sallisaw.  At the time of the offense, Sanders had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and knew of such conviction.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the sentencing hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Sanders will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant U.S. Attorney T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Patrick Lamar Tims Jr., age 22, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 12 months in prison for the January 2024 robbery of a Muskogee Family Dollar store.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Muskogee Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On May 16, 2024, Tims pleaded guilty to one count of Robbery in Indian Country.  According to investigators, on January 16, 2024, Tims approached a clerk at a Family Dollar store in Muskogee and demanded $50 in cash.  Tims had his hand in his vest pocket and the clerk feared Tims was armed with a gun.  The crime occurred in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Tims will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Satter represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Justin Lee Williston, age 33, of Idabel, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 37 months in prison for one count of Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On January 4, 2024, Williston pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on July 1, 2022, Williston was driving a pickup truck eastbound on State Highway 3 with a suspended driver’s license.  Williston crossed into the oncoming lane of traffic and struck an oncoming vehicle which rolled on impact, killing the passenger.  Law enforcement investigating the crash discovered open beer cans in Williston’s vehicle and Williston admitted drinking approximately “eight or nine beers” before the collision.  Investigators obtained blood samples which tested positive for marijuana and a blood alcohol content of .19 g/100ml.  The crime occurred in McCurtain County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for Puerto Rico, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Williston will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Flanigan represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Christopher Edward Downey, age 38, of Grant, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 37 months in prison, with five years of supervised release, for Failure to Register as Sex Offender.

On April 15, 2024, Downey pleaded guilty to one count of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.

The charges arose from an investigation by the United States Marshal Service.

In 2011, Downey was convicted in the State of Texas on four counts of Sexual Assault of a Child and was required to register as a sex offender.  Downey was advised that he was required to register as a sex offender every ninety days for life, and to inform law enforcement within seven days of any change in residency.  An investigation by U.S. Marshals revealed that between June 2022 and October 3, 2023, Downey failed to register as a sex offender in Oklahoma, despite moving from Texas to Oklahoma and living at various residences in and around Indian country in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Downey will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve his sentence of incarceration.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Wittlinger represented the United States at sentencing.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Timothy Randall England, age 36, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 300 months in prison for the 2023 murder of a Stilwell resident.

The charge arose from investigations by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, the Adair County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On April 30, 2024, England pleaded guilty to one count of Murder in Indian Country—Second Degree.   According to investigators, on February 7, 2023, England traveled to a Stilwell residence, waited outside for the resident to arrive, then fired upon the victim eight times with a 7.62x39 rifle before fleeing the scene.  Three of the shots struck the victim, who died at the scene.  England was later apprehended by the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service in Tahlequah and arrested without incident.  The crime occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach, Chief Judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee.  England will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States at sentencing.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced Christopher Joe Knight, age 43, of Spiro, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 80 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

On February 20, 2024, Knight pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.  According to investigators, on December 26, 2022, OHP troopers conducting a routine traffic stop in Leflore County discovered Knight in possession of a 9mm semiautomatic pistol.  Knight knowingly possessed the firearm after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The Honorable Raúl Manuel Arias-Marxuach, Chief District Judge in the United States District Court for Puerto Rico, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Knight will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kenric West, age 48, of Noble, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 51 months in prison for distributing methamphetamine.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and the Okemah Police Department.

On April 15, 2024, West pleaded guilty to one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine.  According to investigators, on September 28, 2023, West sold four plastic baggies containing 112 grams of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, to an undercover narcotics officer.

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.  West will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Satter represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Mason Anthony Wilson, age 28, of Gore, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for one count of Child Abuse in Indian Country and 120 months in prison for one count of Child Neglect in Indian Country.  The terms are set to be served concurrently.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Muskogee Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On June 5, 2024, a federal jury found Wilson guilty at trial on both counts.  According to investigators, in April 2022, Wilson caused injuries to a 2-month-old baby in his care, including multiple fractured bones, and failed to provide medical care for the child.  The crimes occurred in Sequoyah County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation of Oklahoma, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Kea W. Riggs, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Wilson will remain it the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah McAmis and Jessica Bove represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Ronald Wayne Yarbrough Jr., age 54, of Lehigh, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 115 months in prison for voluntary manslaughter.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On August 31, 2023, Yarbrough pleaded guilty to an Information of one count of Voluntary Manslaughter in Indian Country.  According to investigators, on November 24, 2022, Yarbrough instigated a fight outside the family home.  During the fight, Yarbrough stabbed the victim in the neck.  The victim was later declared dead at an area hospital.  The crime occurred in Coal County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Kea W. Riggs, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court of New Mexico, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Yarbrough will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant U.S.  Attorney Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Warren Allen Coleman, age 40, of Hugo, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 84 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Hugo Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

On October 8, 2024, Coleman pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.  According to investigators, on September 1, 2023, OHP troopers conducting a traffic stop discovered Coleman in possession of a chamber loaded 5.7x28mm semiautomatic pistol with 14 rounds in the magazine.  Law enforcement also seized a loaded .45 caliber handgun with a magazine holding nine additional rounds of .45 ACP ammunition.  Coleman knowingly possessed the firearms after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Coleman will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edith Singer and Michael E. Robinson represented the United States.