Eastern District of Oklahoma

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Cecil Browning Higginbotham, age 32, of Mannsville, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information charging him with one-count of Murder in Indian Country – Second Degree.

The Information alleged that on August 10, 2022, Higginbotham unlawfully killed the victim with malice aforethought.  At the plea hearing, Higginbotham admitted to pushing the victim to the ground, knocking her unconscious, and dragging her inside his residence.  He then repeatedly hit and kicked the victim, causing fatal blunt force trauma to her head and neck.  The crime occurred in Johnston County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office, the Dickson Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Indian Affairs.

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. Higginbotham was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorneys T. Cameron McEwen and Caila M. Cleary represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Ashton Boyd Smith, age 19, of Hugo, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 121 months in prison for Second Degree Murder in Indian Country relating to his role in a November 2021 robbery-homicide.

The charges arose from investigations by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Hugo Police Department, the Choctaw County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On September 13, 2022, Smith pleaded guilty to Second Degree Murder in Indian Country.  On November 15, 2021, Smith and an accomplice lay in wait for the victim outside the victim’s Hugo residence in order to rob him.  During the robbery, Smith stood by, armed with a rifle, while his accomplice shot the victim several times with a .22 caliber handgun, killing him.  Before fleeing the scene with the victim’s personal effects, Smith and his accomplice stopped to steal items from the victim’s vehicle.

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

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 hearings in Muskogee.  Smith will remain in 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 at the sentencing hearing.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Steven Eugene Estes, age 34, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 87 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

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

On October 27, 2022, Estes pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  At the plea hearing, Estes admitted that he possessed five grams or more of methamphetamine that he intended to distribute to others within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

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

Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael Pahl represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Brandon Riley Stephens, age 32, of Sulphur, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for a September 2018 violent assault.

The charges arose from investigations by the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On June 8, 2022, Stephens pleaded guilty to one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.  According to investigators, Stephens kicked in the door of a Mill Creek residence, and once inside, attacked the occupant, who sustained multiple facial fractures and lacerations.  The crime occurred in Johnston County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw 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 in Muskogee.  Stephens will remain in 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 Joe Weldon Taylor, III, age 44, of Spiro, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

According to court documents filed at the time of the plea hearing, Taylor knowingly possessed multiple images and videos on his cell phone depicting the sexual exploitation of children under the age of 12.

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

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.  Taylor was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Anthony C. Marek represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Patrick Timothy Kelley, age 46, of Pocola, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information charging him with one count of Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country, punishable by up to life in prison.

According to investigators, Kelley engaged in sexual contact with a child under the age of 12 years old.  The crime occurred in Le Flore County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The charges arose from an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the District 16 Drug and Violent Crime Task Force.

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.  Kelley was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Anthony C. Marek represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Ricky Alan McFarland, age 32, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

On August 14, 2023, law enforcement officers executed an outstanding state arrest warrant for McFarland and found him in possession of a semi-automatic pistol, which McFarland knew he was prohibited from possessing due to his 2014 conviction for Rape by Instrumentation.

The charges arose from an investigation by the United States Marshal Service, the Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Muskogee Police Department.

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.  McFarland was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending a sentencing hearing.

Assistant United States Attorneys Jessie Heidlage and Kyra Jenner represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that that Daniel Matthew Matlock, age 28, of Pocola, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of Sexual Abuse in Indian Country and one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country.

The jury trial began in Muskogee, Oklahoma, with testimony on Tuesday, October 17, 2023, and concluded on Wednesday, October 18, 2023, with the guilty verdicts.

During the trial, the United States presented evidence that in February of 2019, Matlock sexually abused a minor under the age of 16. The United States also offered DNA evidence to support the testimony of the victim at trial.  The crimes occurred in Leflore County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation of Oklahoma, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The guilty verdicts were the result of investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the District 16 Violent Crimes Task Force, and the Pocola Police Department.

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the trial in Muskogee and ordered the completion of a presentence report.  The sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report.  Matlock was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal, where he will remain until sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorneys Morgan Muzljakovich and Jessie Heidlage represented the United States.
 

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dustin Kane Adams, age 43, of Tishomingo, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 264 months in prison for abusive sexual contact of a minor in Indian country.

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

On September 13, 2022, Adams pleaded guilty to one count of Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country.  At the plea hearing, Adams pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a minor under the age of 12 years old.  The crimes occurred in Johnston County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw 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 hearings in Muskogee.  Adams will remain in 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.

Special Assistant United States Attorney Debra L. Barnett represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Billy Lee Murphy, age 76, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number.

The Indictment alleged that on January 19, 2023, Murphy knowingly possessed a revolver that had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce, from which the manufacturer’s serial number had been removed, altered, and obliterated.

The charges arose from an investigation by 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.  Murphy was allowed to remain on bond pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Edith A. Singer represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Miranda Pauley, age 31, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, punishable by up to life in prison.

The indictment alleged that on or about January 11, 2023, Pauley knowingly and intentionally possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A).

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

The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, 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.  Pauley will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals pending her sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Bondura represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Xavier Sean Wilson, age 22, of Park Hill, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Murder in the Second Degree in Indian Country, punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to Life.

The Information alleged that Xavier Sean Wilson, with malice aforethought, unlawfully killed the victim in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1111(a), 1151, and 1153.  At the plea hearing, Wilson admitted that on April 30, 2022, he caused the death of the victim by stabbing the victim with a knife. The crime occurred in Cherokee County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

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

The Honorable Jason 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.  Wilson remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Edith A. Singer represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Ricky Wayne Banks, II, age 34, of Durant, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for possessing sexually explicit material involving a minor.

The charges arose from investigations by Homeland Security Investigations and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

On August 25, 2022, Ricky Wayne Banks, II, pleaded guilty to Possession of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.  According to court documents, various CyberTips were received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police National Child Exploitation Crime Centre (NCECC) regarding suspected activity involving minor children.  During the investigation, Agents obtained and executed search warrants and found Ricky Wayne Banks, II, to be in possession of sexually explicit materials involving minor children.

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings in Muskogee.  Banks will remain in 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 Edith A. Singer represented the United States.

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.  For more information about internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab “Resources.”

If you have information about the physical or online exploitation of children, please call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.  You can also contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE–LOST (1-800-843-5678) or submit a tip online at report.cybertip.org.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jerry Eugene Teafatiller, age 39, and Doyle Lee Lafavor, age 52, both of Checotah, Oklahoma, entered guilty pleas to federal drug offenses.  Teafatiller pleaded guilty to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, which carries a potential prison term of 5 to 40 years.  Lafavor pleaded guilty to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, which carries a potential prison term of 10 years to life.

The Superseding Indictment alleged that on or about April 17, 2023, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, Teafatiller possessed with the intent to distribute at least 5 grams of methamphetamine (actual).  The Indictment further alleged that Lafavor possessed with the intent to distribute at least 50 grams of methamphetamine (actual).

According to investigators, Teafatiller and Lafavor obtained packages through the U.S. Mail containing methamphetamine, which they intended to distribute to others.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the McIntosh County Sheriff’s Department, and the District 25 District Attorney’s Office Drug and Violent Crime Task Force.

The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the pleas and ordered the completion of presentence investigation reports.  Both defendants were remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending their sentencing hearings.

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 Shyla Faye Pittman, age 37, of Ada, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to Arson in Indian Country.

The Indictment alleged that on March 11, 2023, Pittman willfully and maliciously set fire to a dwelling and placed the life of another person in jeopardy.  The crime 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 Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Office, the Chickasaw Lighthorse Police, 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.  Pittman was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin Gross and Erin Cornell represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Pamela Kathryn Conley, age 61, of Catoosa, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Aiding and Assisting in the Preparation of False Income Tax Returns, which is punishable by up to three years of incarceration and a $250,000 fine.

According to investigators, between 2017 and 2020, Conley aided and assisted in the preparation and presentation of false and fraudulent IRS Form 1040 tax returns on behalf of her clients, resulting in fraudulent refunds.  Conley fabricated deduction amounts for clients that were unsupported by receipt evidence, including claims for medical expenses, charitable contributions, casualty theft losses, real property and personal property taxes, and job-related expenses, all of which Conley knew to be materially false and fraudulent.

The charges arose from an investigation by the IRS-Criminal Investigations, with assistance from the United States Secret Service.

The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, 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.  Conley is currently in federal custody, serving a sentence imposed by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma for other criminal conduct.

Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael Pahl and Assistant United States Attorney Kara Traster represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jacob Lance Pritchett, age 33, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to life in prison for one count of Aggravated Sexual Abuse and one count of Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country.

The charges arose from investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service.

On July 8, 2022, a federal jury found Pritchett guilty at trial of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of one child over the course of several years, and of a single instance of Abusive Sexual Contact of a second child.  The crimes occurred in Cherokee County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma. 

“Cases like the one against Mr. Pritchett are some of the most heartbreaking, yet purposeful the FBI can investigate,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “I’m grateful for the efforts of our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to ensure he will never be able to harm another child.”

“Although the abuse inflicted on these innocent victims cannot be erased, this office stands committed to ensuring those who abuse children see justice,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson.  “This sentence today brings a measure of assurance that the defendant will never be free to prey on children again.”

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing in Muskogee.  Pritchett will remain in 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 Morgan Muzljakovich and Nicole Paladino represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Nathan Kelly Graham, age 26, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender, and one count of Theft in Indian country, charged in two single-count indictments.

One Indictment alleged that Graham resided in Indian country from approximately July 2022 to March 2023, and knowingly failed to register and update his registration as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. Graham is required to register as a sex offender after having received a felony conviction from the State of Oklahoma in 2015 for Rape in the Second Degree. The charge arose from an investigation by the United States Marshals Service and the Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office.

A separate Indictment alleged that on January 26, 2023, Graham stole a motor vehicle parked at a Valero gas station in Muskogee, Oklahoma. The charge arose from an investigation by the Muskogee Police Department and Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office, who located the stolen 2019 Ford F150 with Graham behind the wheel. Graham fled the scene and was later apprehended by police.  The crime occurred in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

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

Special Assistant United States Attorney Genevieve Ozark, and Assistant United States Attorneys Richard Lorenz and Rachel Geizura represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Christopher Wallace Covington, age 43, of Ada, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment and ordered to pay $486,431.02 in restitution for Theft Concerning Programs Receiving Federal Funds.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Chickasaw Nation Department of Treasury, the Chickasaw Nation Department of Interior Services, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On March 25, 2022, Covington pleaded guilty to one count of Theft Concerning Programs Receiving Federal Funds.  According to investigators, Covington, a Chickasaw Nation Department of Treasury accounting manager, embezzled $486,431.02 from the Chickasaw Nation from 2017 until May 2021.  The Chickasaw Nation is a federally recognized Indian tribal government and an organization which receives federal benefits and assistance.

“The defendant deliberately exploited his position to steal nearly half a million dollars in federal funds from his employer,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “We will continue to partner with the U.S. Attorney's Office to protect the integrity of taxpayer dollars and take swift action against those who embezzle funds intended to assist our tribal communities.”

“The defendant abused his position of trust over many years to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant funds intended to benefit Chickasaw students,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson.  “This office stands together with our Tribal partners in seeking prosecution of crimes that would deprive the future of Native Americans in the Eastern District.”

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the sentencing hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Covington will report on October 26, 2023, to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorneys T. Cameron McEwen and Kara Traster represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Blaine Allen Villines, age 47, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 30 months imprisonment for Possession of an Unregistered Firearm (Destructive Device).

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

On September 1, 2022, Villines pleaded guilty to one count of Possession of Unregistered Firearm (Destructive Device).  At the plea hearing, Villines admitted to possessing two homemade explosive devices on May 8, 2022.

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the sentencing hearing.  Villines will remain in 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 today that Chase Lane Rocha, age 21, of Boswell, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country.

The jury trial began with testimony on October 2, 2023, and concluded on October 4, 2023, with the guilty verdict.

During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on January 24, 2023, Rocha caused the death of the victim by shooting her in the chest with a single-action revolver.  The crime occurred in Choctaw County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The guilty verdict was the result of investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Choctaw Nation Tribal Police Department.

The Honorable David C. Joseph, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, sitting by appointment, presided over the trial in Muskogee and ordered the completion of a presentence report. The sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report.  The defendant will remain in custody of the United States Marshal until sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Flanigan and Special Assistant United States Attorney Genevieve Ozark represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Presley Edward Lawson, age 49, of Spiro, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of distribution of methamphetamine.

The Indictment, filed on June 14, 2023, charged Lawson with four counts of Distribution of Methamphetamine.

According to investigators, Lawson sold methamphetamine to a subject on four occasions between June and August 2022.  The total amount of methamphetamine distributed was just over 855 grams.

The charges arose from an investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, the Sequoyah Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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.  Lawson was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney James Seaman represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Douglas Vaughn Switch, Jr., age 46, of Seminole, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information charging him with one count of Murder in Indian Country – Second Degree, punishable by up to life in prison.

According to investigators, on October 23, 2023, Switch shot the victim in the head with a .380 pistol, killing her instantly.  The crime occurred in Seminole County, within the boundaries of the Seminole Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

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

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.  The defendant was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal.

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 Eduardo Garcia, age 53, Eric Lopez, age 44, Eric Jesus Lopez, age 27, Savanna Jade Lopez, age 27, and Christian Lopez, age 26, all of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and Francisco Hernandez, age 24, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, each entered guilty pleas to federal firearms charges.

On May 18, 2023, Eduardo Garcia pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.  At the hearing, Garcia admitted to possessing multiple firearms despite knowing that he was prohibited from possessing firearms as a convicted felon.

On July 19, 2023, Christian Lopez pleaded guilty to one count of False Statement During Purchase of a Firearm.

On August 30, 2023, Eric Lopez, Eric Jesus Lopez, and Savanna Jade Lopez each pleaded guilty to one count of False Statement During Purchase of a Firearm.

On September 11, 2023, Francisco Hernandez pleaded guilty to one count of False Statement During Purchase of a Firearm.

The Indictment alleged that on November 4, 2022, Eduardo Garcia, knowing he was a convicted felon, unlawfully possessed three firearms.  The Indictment further alleged that Eric Lopez, Eric Jesus Lopez, Savanna Jade Lopez, Christian Lopez, and Francisco Hernandez, on various dates, purchased firearms from licensed firearms dealers, indicating on the ATF Form 4473 that they were buying the firearms for themselves when they were actually buying the firearms for someone else.

The charges arose from an investigation by 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 pleas and ordered the completion of presentence investigation reports.  All defendants will remain out of custody pending sentencing.

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 Parker Ryan Little, age 26, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 51 months imprisonment for posting threats online against Wagoner Police Officers and a Fort Gibson Police Officer, and for stalking and harassing two additional victims.

The charges arose from investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the California-based Regional Enforcement Allied Computer Team (REACT) Task Force, the Wagoner Police Department, and the Fort Gibson Police Department.

On June 22, 2022, Little pleaded guilty to two counts of Threatening Interstate Communications and two counts of Stalking.

On May 4, 2020, Little used one acquaintance’s identity to send an anonymous tip to the Fort Gibson Police Department threatening a mass shooting.  On May 8, 2020, Little, assuming the same victim’s identity, posted a public message on a gaming forum threatening to shoot several Fort Gibson police officers, and posted personal identifiable information (PII) doxing the officers.  The threatening messages were observed and reported to law enforcement by individuals located outside of Oklahoma.

On June 11, 2020, Little discussed the harassment of a second acquaintance in a group internet conversation.  In the group conversation, Little admitted to harassing that second victim, including swatting the victim’s house.  On the same day, Little posed as the second victim and posted a public message on a gaming forum threatening to shoot six Wagoner Police Department Officers, including the Chief of Police, the Deputy Chief, and four others.  At the same time, Little posted personally identifiable information in the same public message, doxing the threatened Wagoner police officers.  The threatening messages involving the second victim were also observed and reported to law enforcement by individuals located outside of Oklahoma.

“The defendant’s relentless campaign of online threats, harassment, and stalking intended to instill fear and divert critical law enforcement resources from where they are truly needed,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “Our hope is that today’s sentence brings some relief to the private citizens and members of the law enforcement community that were affected by this reprehensible behavior.”

“We live in an increasingly interconnected society, which can be either a blessing or a curse,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson.  “In this case, the defendant chose the latter, utilizing various electronic platforms to spew threats and stalk innocent victims, including members of law enforcement. The sentence imposed sends a clear message this type conduct is criminal and will be punished accordingly.”

The Honorable John F. Heil, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Little 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 announced that Nathan Dale Smith, age 33, of Pontotoc County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 87 months in prison for one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country and 24 months in prison for one count of Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country.  The sentences were ordered to run concurrently.

The charges arose from investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Ada Police Department.

On September 9, 2022, a federal jury found Smith guilty of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country and Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country.  During the trial, the United States presented evidence that Smith sexually abused a female child under the age of 16 over the course of two years. Once the abuse was disclosed, the Defendant sent an incriminating text message to the victim’s mother apologizing for his actions.

“I commend the Ada Police Department and the FBI for their cooperative work in investigating this case,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson.  “Their efforts allowed Assistant United States Attorneys from our Special Victims Unit to obtain a measure of justice for the victim.”

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

The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings in Muskogee.  Smith will remain in 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 Morgan Muzljakovich and Nicole Paladino represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kevin Stuart Pollard III, age 23, of Clayton, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country.  Pollard was also sentenced to 24 months in prison each for two counts of Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country.  All sentences were ordered to run concurrently.

The charges arose from investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pushmataha County Sheriff’s Office.

On August 10, 2022, Pollard pleaded guilty to one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian County and two counts of Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country.  At the hearing, Pollard pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a minor under the age of 16 years old.  Pollard also pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual contact through the clothing of the minor in 2019.  The crimes occurred within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Scott D. Palk, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting by appointment, presided over the hearings in Oklahoma City. Pollard will remain in 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.

Special Assistant United States Attorney Genevieve Ozark represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Amya Elise Walker, age 20, of Ada, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country.

On May 13, 2023, Walker violently attacked an elderly woman at an Ada residence, leaving the victim with multiple bruises and lacerations requiring medical care.

The crime 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.  Walker will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal 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 Bradley Jordan Eagle-Tate, age 30, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country.

The Indictment alleged that on June 27, 2022, Eagle-Tate unlawfully killed the victim by failing to devote his full time and attention to driving.  According to investigators, Eagle-Tate drifted into the oncoming lane of Oklahoma Highway 100 in a no-passing zone, clipping one vehicle before colliding head-on with a second vehicle.   The driver of the second vehicle died at the scene.  Eagle-Tate admitted during the plea hearing that he had multiple drugs in his system at the time of the collision.

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

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

The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea in Muskogee and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.  The Court permitted Eagle-Tate to remain out of custody pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorneys Zack Parsons and Kevin Gross 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 28, of Idabel, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to charges in a Superseding Indictment related to the murder of an Idabel resident.

At the plea hearing, Capps pleaded guilty to one count of Second Degree Murder in Indian Country and one count of Use, Carry, Brandish, and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.  Capps admitted during the plea hearing he discharged a firearm to commit the murder.

According to investigators, Capps was seen with the victim in a white truck on November 15, 2022.  Later that evening, law enforcement located Capps at a house in Idabel.  During a search of the residence, agents located and recovered a revolver that was reported to be in Capps’s possession earlier in the night.  Two days later, the victim was discovered in the same white truck, having been shot in the head.  According to forensic reports, the revolver recovered from the Idabel residence fired the fatal bullet.  The crime occurred in McCurtain 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, the Choctaw Nation Tribal Police, the Idabel Police Department, and the McCurtain County Sheriff’s Office.

The Honorable Judge 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.  Capps was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals pending sentencing.

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 announced that Crystal Marie Haworth, age 33, of McAlester, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 240 months in prison for Second Degree Murder in Indian Country.

The charges arose from investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the McAlester Police Department, and the Pittsburg Country Sheriff’s Office.

On September 18, 2023, Haworth pleaded guilty to Second Degree Murder in Indian Country.  According to investigators, on July 15, 2020, Haworth stabbed the victim to death at a McAlester residence, drove to the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, waived her Miranda rights, and confessed to the murder.

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

The Honorable David C. Joseph, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, sitting by appointment, presided over the hearings in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Haworth will remain in 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.

Department of Justice Criminal Division Organized Crime and Gang Section Trial Attorney Christopher Usher and Special Assistant United States Attorney Genevieve Ozark represented the United States at sentencing.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Alejandro Marin-Gutierrez, age 44 and a foreign national, pleaded guilty to one count of Illegal Reentry of Previously Removed Alien.

The Indictment alleged that Marin-Gutierrez, who had been previously convicted of a felony and subsequently removed from the United States, was found again in the United States on or about June 2, 2022.

According to investigators, law enforcement observed and apprehended Marin-Gutierrez at a residence in McAlester, Oklahoma, on June 2, 2022.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security—Enforcement and Removal Operations.

The Honorable Judge 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.  Marin-Gutierrez was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals pending sentencing.

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 announced that Gene Douglas Fleet, age 53, of Vian, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 87 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the District 25 Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, and the McIntosh County Sheriff’s Department.

On April 26, 2022, Fleet pleaded guilty to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.   On June 23, 2021, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on the I-40 corridor near Checotah after observing Fleet's truck exceeding 75 miles per hour and drifting off the road.  A search of the cab revealed a single package of more than 200 grams of pure methamphetamine.  At the plea hearing April 26, 2022, Fleet admitted to possessing the methamphetamine in order to distribute it.

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 in Muskogee.  Fleet 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 Erin Cornell represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Alyssa Lyn Turner, age 35, of Wilburton, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 120 months of incarceration followed by three years of supervised release for Voluntary Manslaughter.

On June 10, 2022, Turner pleaded guilty to one count of voluntary manslaughter.  According to investigators, on July 2, 2021, Turner and the victim got into a fight in Wilburton, Oklahoma.  During the fight, Turner shot and killed the victim.  The crime occurred in Latimer 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, the Choctaw Nation Tribal Police, and the Latimer County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable Jodi W. Dishman, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting by appointment, presided over the hearing in Oklahoma City.

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 Mounce, age 49, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment for Manslaughter in Indian Country.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Grand River Dam Authority.

On May 19, 2022, Mounce pleaded guilty to Manslaughter in Indian Country.  According to court documents, on September 8, 2019, Mounce got into a fight with the victim.  Mounce went to the home of a nearby acquaintance, obtained a shotgun, returned to the victim’s location, and shot and killed the victim.

The crime occurred in Cherokee County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee 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 sentencing hearing in Muskogee.  Mounce will remain in 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 sentencing.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - Christopher J. Wilson, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, will be available to the press regarding a scheduled Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council (ATAC) meeting & training event for law enforcement officers, security professionals, and school personnel who might find themselves in a first-responder role during an active-shooter event within their respective community or place of work.

WHEN

9:30 am
Thursday, September 21, 2023

WHERE

Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center
300 W Martin Luther King St.
Muskogee, OK 74401

OPEN PRESS

NOTE: Press should arrive 30 minutes prior to appointment time to allow for camera set-up, etc. Press should also call the contact number (918) 684-5100 before making an appointment to confirm parameters of this press availability event.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Darius Alexander Presley, age 22, of McAlester, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to charges related to a December 2022 shooting that left one dead and one seriously wounded.

At the plea hearing, Presley entered a guilty plea to one count of Murder in Indian Country, one count of Assault with the Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country, one count of Use, Carry, Brandish and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, and one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

According to investigators, on December 2, 2022, Presley shot two individuals at a McAlester residence before leaving in a victim’s car.  Deputies responding to reports of gunshots arrived at the residence to discover one victim deceased and the second seriously wounded.  At the time of the offense, Presley, a felon, was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a state court conviction.  The crimes 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, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office.

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

Assistant United States Attorneys Jordan Howanitz and Michael Robinson represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Donald Paul Griggs, age 56, of Holdenville, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 194 months in prison for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Seminole Police Department, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Department, and the Hughes County Sheriff’s Department.

On August 10, 2022, Griggs pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.  According to investigators, on March 31, 2022, Griggs led law enforcement on a highspeed chase, forced another vehicle off the road, crashed, and attempted to flee on foot.  During the chase, Griggs discarded over 21 pounds of pure methamphetamine before he was apprehended and arrested by officers.

“Those who distribute drugs do so for one purpose, to make a profit,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge, Eduardo A. Chávez, who oversees operations in Oklahoma.  “Today, Mr. Griggs is being held accountable for his actions. The DEA will never stop seeking justice for those who prey on others’ addictions.”

“Methamphetamine continues to plague our communities,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson.  “Drug traffickers transporting and distributing illegal narcotics in the Eastern District will be investigated and aggressively prosecuted.”

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 in Muskogee.  Griggs 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 Erin Cornell represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Carl Robert Kannady, age 67, of Heavener, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment, followed by mandatory registration as a sex offender and a lifetime term of supervised release, for the Possession of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.

The charges arose from investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and the LeFlore County Sheriff’s Department.

On June 14, 2022, Kannady pleaded guilty to possessing certain material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor.  According to investigators, LeFlore County Sheriff’s Department received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) alerting them to images of child exploitation posted by Kannady.  A search warrant executed on Kannady’s home returned over 8,000 images depicting child sexual exploitation on DVDs, USB drives, and a computer hard drive.

The Honorable Judge John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Kannady will remain in 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 Caila M. Cleary represented the United States.

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. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab ‘Resources.’

If you have information about the physical or online exploitation of children, please call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.  You can also contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE–LOST (1-800-843-5678) or submit a tip online at report.cybertip.org.
 

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kaleb Thomas Linville, age 24, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 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 charge arose from an investigation by the Adair County Sheriff’s Office, the Cherokee Nation Marshal’s Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

On May 10, 2022, Linville pleaded guilty to brandishing and discharging a firearm during a robbery.  According to investigators, Linville robbed an area fisherman in the early hours of March 4, 2022.  During the robbery, Linville brandished a semi-automatic rifle at the fisherman, ordered him into the water, fired a round, struck him with the rifle butt, stole his phone, wallet, and car keys, then drove off in the victim's car.

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

“You wake up bright and early to go fishing and meet the likes of Mr. Linville; it’s not the big fish story anyone should have to tell.  Mr. Linville’s behavior was violent and aggressive; two adjectives that don’t go well with firearm possession.  Because of his thoughtless actions, he gets to spend 10 years in federal prison,” stated ATF Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II.  “I would like to thank our partners at Adair County Sheriff’s Office, Cherokee Nation Marshal’s Service, and the United States Attorney’s Office for helping to put a stop to Mr. Linville’s violence.”

“This office is committed to vigorously prosecuting those who disrupt the safety and security of our communities, especially when defendants use firearms to perpetrate their crimes,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson.

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 in Muskogee.  Linville will remain in 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 at sentencing.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Donald Lamond Washington, age 40, of Ada, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.

According to U.S. Marshals, Washington, a convicted sex offender, failed to alert authorities to his presence in the Eastern District of Oklahoma as required by law.  Washington, who received a felony conviction in the State of Texas in January 2023 for Indecency with a Child, knowingly failed to register in the State of Oklahoma despite traveling from Texas and residing in the state from January 2023 until his arrest on June 22, 2023.

The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service.

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

Special Assistant United States Attorney Genevieve A. Ozark represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Vince Harjo, age 35, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Possession of Material Involving Sexual Exploitation of a Child.

During the plea hearing, Harjo admitted to knowingly possessing material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor.

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

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

Special Assistant United States Attorney Genevieve A. Ozark represented the United States.

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. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab ‘Resources.’

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Steven Kenneth Reilly, age 34, of Kingston, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to making a false statement during the acquisition of a firearm.

According to investigators, on December 24, 2022, Reilly attempted to redeem a pawned firearm at the EZ Pawn in Durant, Oklahoma.  During that visit, Reilly intentionally made a false written statement on the ATF Firearms Transaction Record Form 4473 asserting he was not charged with a felony information or indictment at the time of redemption.  In reality, Reilly was subject to a two-count felony information in the Marshall County District Court at the time of the visit.

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

The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.

Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Satter and Michael Robinson represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Devin Nakedhead, age 30, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.

According to investigators, on January 27, 2023, law enforcement officers conducting a traffic stop discovered Nakedhead in possession of a .22 caliber Rohm model RG Derringer pistol loaded with two rounds of ammunition.  Rohm, a convicted felon, admitted at the plea hearing that he knew at the time of the traffic stop that he was prohibited by law from possessing a firearm or ammunition, but did so anyway.

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

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.  The defendant was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal Service.

Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Bondura represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Morris Hulen Mapp, age 70, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.

According to U.S. Marshals, Mapp, a convicted sex offender, failed to alert authorities to his presence in the Eastern District of Oklahoma as required by law.  Mapp, who received felony convictions in the State of Texas in 1992 for Indecency with a Child, knowingly failed to register in the State of Oklahoma despite traveling from Texas and residing in the state from May 2022 until his arrest on May 19, 2023.

The charges arose from an investigation by the U.S. Marshal Service and the Carter County Sheriff’s Office.

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

Special Assistant United States Attorney Genevieve A. Ozark represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Justin Kyle Muskrat, age 37, of Bunch, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to kidnapping and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.

The Indictment filed on April 13, 2023, charged Muskrat with one count of Kidnapping in Indian Country and one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition.

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

According to investigators, Muskrat kidnapped an individual from a Muskogee County residence on March 15, 2023.  Armed with a machete, Muskrat forced the victim into a car trunk and transported him to an Adair County residence.  There, Muskrat bound, assaulted, and threatened the victim.  Upon arrest, law enforcement officers found Muskrat, a felon, illegally in possession of a Ruger, Model LCP, .380ACP caliber, semi-automatic pistol and several rounds of ammunition.

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

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.  Muskrat will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshall pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorneys T. Cameron McEwen and Josh Satter represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Alexander Elias Clark, age 22, of Ada, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of robbery.

The indictment, filed on August 9, 2023, charged Clark with one count of Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country, one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country, and one count of Robbery in Indian Country.

According to investigators, on June 14, 2023, Clark attacked an individual at an Ada residence, stabbing the victim repeatedly before fleeing.  Clark later entered a nearby convenience store, threatened to kill the cashier, and stole a 30-pack of beer.

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, the United States Department of the Interior - Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Ada Police Department, and the Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Office.

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.  Clark was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney James Seaman represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that William Craig Hollars, age 44, of Pontotoc County, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to five charges relating to a prolonged assault that ended at the Chickasaw Nation Treasury Building in September of 2022.

The Indictment filed on June 14, 2023, charged Hollars with one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, one count of Assault of a Dating Partner in Indian Country, one count of Attempt to Damage and Destroy by Explosive, one count of Making of a Firearm in Violation of the National Firearms Act, and one count of Carry Explosive During the Commission of a Felony.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police Department, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Bomb Squad, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

At the plea hearing, Hollars admitted that on September 6, 2022, he strangled the victim, threatened her with a homemade bomb, chased her as she fled to the Chickasaw Nation Treasury Building, struck her in the back of the head, dragged her from the building as she sought shelter, then attempted to light the bomb in order to injure her and cause damage to the Treasury Building.

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

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.  Hollars will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal 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 Cairl Glenn Hayes, Jr., age 48, of Hulbert, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

During the plea hearing, Hayes, Jr. admitted to having previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and to possessing a firearm and ammunition despite knowing he was prohibited from doing so.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s 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.  Hayes, Jr. will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Richard Lorenz represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Nacole Ryan Bain aka Nacole Ryan Spears, age 42, of Schulter, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 324 months in prison for Second Degree Murder in Indian Country.

The charge arose from an investigation by the District 25 Violent Crime Task Force, the Henryetta Police Department, the Okmulgee County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On March 28, 2022, Bain pleaded guilty in federal district court to Second Degree Murder in Indian Country.  According to investigators, family members reported the victim missing in late June of 2018 after he failed to arrive as expected at his destination in North Carolina.  Law enforcement discovered the victim’s wrecked and empty vehicle in south Okmulgee County, and later confirmed the separate discovery of the victim’s remains on July 6, 2018. Under questioning, Bain, a five-time convicted felon, confessed to intentionally shooting the victim with a revolver at his Henryetta home, then removing his remains to a rural property, selling his personal property, and pocketing the proceeds.

The crime occurred in Okmulgee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) 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 in Muskogee.  Bain will remain in 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 at sentencing.