Eastern District of Oklahoma

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced today that on Monday, December 5, 2022, Jory L. Bullard, of McCurtain County, Oklahoma entered a guilty plea to a Superseding Indictment charging him with one count of Child Abuse in Indian Country.

The defendant pled guilty to willfully and maliciously injuring an eleven-month-old child on June 18, 2019.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the victim is eligible for membership in a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in McCurtain County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation and the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The guilty plea was the result of an investigation by the Broken Bow Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The Honorable Kimberly E. West, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma in Muskogee, presided over the defendant’s plea and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled in front of the Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Court Judge, following completion of the report. Bullard was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.

Assistant United States 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 today that Roy Lee Roberts, Jr, age 37, of Krebs, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a federal jury of two counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country and one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country.

The jury trial began with testimony on Monday, November 14, 2022, and concluded on Wednesday, November 16, 2022, with the guilty verdicts.

During the trial, the United States presented evidence that the defendant sexually abused two minors in 2017-2018.  One victim was under the age of 12 and the second victim was between the ages of 12 and 16.  Both victims appeared in Court, detailed the abuse they endured, and clearly identified Roberts as their abuser.

The guilty verdicts were the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the defendant in this case is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in Pittsburg County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable David Cleveland Joseph, U.S. District Judge from the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, temporarily assigned to the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Roberts was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorneys Edith A. Singer and Hannah Jones represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Daniel Lewis Moon, age 25, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a federal jury of Arson.

The jury trial began with testimony on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, and concluded on Wednesday, November 9, 2022, with the guilty verdict.

During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on March 28, 2020, Moon, a disgruntled employee of the Dollar General store in Porter, Oklahoma, maliciously set a fire inside the store. The fire caused extensive damage to the building and its contents. The store’s surveillance video revealed the Defendant was the only person in the area of the store where the fire began. The video also disproved the Defendant’s claim to investigators he was in another part of the store at the time the fire was set.

The guilty verdict was the result of an investigation by the Wagoner Country Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma State Fire Marshal’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the property damaged in this case belonged to a business engaged in activity involving interstate commerce and the crime occurred in Wagoner County, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Charles B. Goodwin, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting in Oklahoma City, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. 

Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick Flanigan and Kristiana Dietzel represented the United States. 
 

WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced today that Kendall Morgan, 44, the former undersheriff of the Le Flore County Sheriff’s Department (LCSO) in Le Flore County, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to a criminal civil rights violation for using unlawful force on an arrestee.

According to court documents, on Jan. 25, 2017, while acting in his official capacity as LCSO’s undersheriff, Morgan willfully assaulted an individual identified as D.P. by repeatedly striking D.P. while D.P. was in handcuffs and not resisting arrest. The assault deprived D.P. of his right to be free from unreasonable force, did not further a legitimate law enforcement purpose, and resulted in bodily injury to D.P.

“This defendant, an experienced law enforcement officer, is being held accountable for unlawfully injuring a handcuffed man who was not resisting arrest and unable to defend himself,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to prosecuting any officer who violates their position and authority by using excessive force without cause.”

“Every citizen is entitled to be treated fairly and law enforcement officers should be models of this very important principle,” said U.S. Attorney Christopher Wilson for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “The defendant’s actions in this case were illegal, immoral, and unethical and justice demands he face the consequences for his acts.”

“Mr. Morgan’s actions not only violated the civil rights of his victim, but compromised the public’s trust in the law enforcement system,” said Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. “The FBI is committed to holding those who abuse their authority accountable and safeguarding the civil liberties of all Americans.”

Morgan faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. A sentencing hearing has not yet been set.

Assistant Attorney General Clarke, U.S. Attorney Wilson and Special Agent in Charge Gray made the announcement.

The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarrod Leaman for the Eastern District of Oklahoma and Trial Attorney Avner Shapiro of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Lance Keith Maytubby, Sr., age 54, of Calera, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a federal jury of three counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country and one count of  Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country.

The jury trial began with testimony on Tuesday, October 25, 2022, and concluded on Friday, October 28, 2022, with the guilty verdicts.

During the trial, the United States presented evidence that the defendant sexually assaulted two victims who were each under 12 years of age at the time of the crimes.

The guilty verdicts were the result of an investigation by the Calera Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the defendant in this case is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in Bryan County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Scott L. Palk, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting in Oklahoma City, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Maytubby was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending imposition of sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony C. Marek and Nicole Paladino represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - On Monday, October 17, 2022, law enforcement officials gathered at the Choctaw Nation Headquarters in Durant, Oklahoma, for the 2022 Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Law Enforcement Summit. The event was co-hosted by the Choctaw Nation and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The goal of the summit was to provide law enforcement and prosecutors serving within the territorial boundaries of the Choctaw Nation an opportunity to discuss the continuing changes in Indian Country jurisdiction and to focus on continued collaboration between local, state, tribal and federal agencies.

“On behalf of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, thank you to United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma,” said Kara Bacon, Tribal Prosecutor, CNO.  “This summit and other opportunities like this give our local law enforcement community—drawn from tribal, local, state, and federal agencies—an opportunity to dialogue and develop best practices as federal Indian law and policy evolves.”

“My sincere thanks to Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton and the Choctaw Nation Department of Public Safety for providing a wonderful venue for the summit,” said United States Attorney Christopher Wilson. “It was great to have representatives from local police departments, sheriff departments, Choctaw Nation Tribal Police, state law enforcement agencies, federal law enforcement agencies, district attorney offices, Choctaw Nation tribal prosecutors, and federal prosecutors in the same room. Together, we utilized this opportunity to strengthen coordination and communication which is critically important to accomplish our common mission of promoting public safety, holding criminals accountable, and obtaining justice for victims.”

The summit featured panelists and presenters from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; Bureau of Indian Affairs; Bryan County Sheriff’s Office; Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma; District Attorney Offices (Districts 16, 18, and 19); Federal Bureau of Investigation; Homeland Security Investigations; Idabel Police Department; McAlester Police Department; Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation; Poteau Police Department; United States Attorney’s Office and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The format included panel discussions addressing topics such as:

• Indian Country Jurisdiction, Concurrent Jurisdiction, & Federal/Tribal/State Authority;
• Law Enforcement Authority in Indian Country;
• Concurrent Jurisdiction following the U.S. Supreme Court’s Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta decision on June 29, 2022;
• Law Enforcement Authority in Indian Country;
• Law enforcement and prosecutorial responses to crimes within the Choctaw Nation; and
• Savanna’s Act, Ida’s Law and the expansion of Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022;

and presentations on arson, firearms, and illegal narcotics offenses.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Troy Allen Stevenson, age 22, of Sequoyah County, Oklahoma was found guilty by a federal jury of Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country for the July 17, 2021, shooting of his father.

The jury trial began with testimony on Tuesday, October 11, 2022, and concluded on Thursday, October 13, 2022, with the guilty verdict.

The guilty verdict was the result of an investigation by the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the defendant is a member of a federally-recognized Indian tribe and the crime occurred in Sequoyah County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, and within 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, in Muskogee, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report.  Stevenson was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Gross and Assistant United States Attorney Derick Blakely represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Pamela Kathryn Conley, age 60, of Catoosa, Oklahoma, was indicted by the federal grand jury on 42 counts of Aiding and Assisting in the Preparation of False Income Tax Returns.

The Federal Indictment alleges that Conley prepared 42 federal income tax returns for 16 individuals that contained false and fraudulent deductions for medical expenses, charitable contributions, casualty theft losses, real property and property taxes, mortgage-interest payments, and job-related expenses.

The charges resulted from an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations.

The named individual has been charged with a federal crime or crimes by the return of an Indictment by the Grand Jury.  A grand jury Indictment does not constitute evidence of guilt.  A grand jury Indictment is a method of bringing formal charges against the defendant.  A defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and may not be found guilty unless evidence establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.  United States Sentencing Guidelines may be considered, upon conviction, by the sentencing court in determining appropriate punishment.  Federal prison sentences are non-paroleable.

Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael Pahl, who is on detail to the Eastern District of Oklahoma from the Department of Justice’s Tax Division, represents the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that David Leroy Earls, age 36, of Tuskahoma, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 140 months imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release for three counts of Sexual Abuse in Indian Country. Each count is ordered to run concurrently. The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The defendant was previously convicted by a federal jury. At the trial, the evidence proved Earls sexually abused the victim, who could not legally consent to sexual activity.

In addition to the 140 months of incarceration within the Bureau of Prisons, Earls must register as a sex offender upon his release from prison, he cannot live with or be alone with a minor without prior approval, he must submit to a sex offender or mental health treatment program as recommended, including polygraphs to make sure he is in compliance, and he must submit to a search of his person, home, or computer.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the defendant in this case is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in Pushmataha County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

“The defendant exploited and sexually assaulted the victim whom he knew to be mentally and emotionally challenged,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Earls’ callous acts warrant the punishment imposed by the Court.”

“David Earls’ crimes were predatory and there is no question the sentencing is just,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “The FBI will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to investigate the most egregious crimes in Indian Country and provide justice for the victims.”

The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. Earls will report to a United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve his 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 Sebron Dejuan Brown, age 36, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 48 months imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release for one count of Conspiracy to Commit Odometer Tampering, two counts of Odometer Tampering, and one count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud.

The Second Superseding Indictment alleged that from December 2016 through May 2017, Brown purchased high mileage vehicles and caused the odometers to be rolled back, which artificially and significantly inflated the vehicles’ value.  In many instances, the defendant altered the odometers to display several hundred thousand miles lower than the true readings.  After tampering with the odometers, Brown recruited others to engage in a conspiracy to stage vehicle collisions and submit fraudulent insurance claims.  As a result of these fraudulent insurance claims orchestrated by Brown and his co-conspirators, the investigation revealed insurance carriers substantially overpaid for property damage to the vehicles, along with fabricated personal injury claims.

The charges resulted from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), with the assistance of the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).  This investigation developed after representatives from multiple insurance companies noticed a pattern of suspicious claims within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.  Through this investigation, federal agents uncovered an extensive and elaborate scheme to commit odometer and insurance fraud.

"The defendant’s scheme endangered the public and defrauded multiple insurance companies,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “I am thankful for the collaborative investigation by the FBI, NHTSA, and NICB. Through their efforts, the mastermind of this criminal conspiracy was identified and brought to justice.”

“Odometer fraud is a crime, plain and simple, so I applaud the court’s decision,” said NHTSA Acting Administrator Ann Carlson. “We continue to work toward keeping everyone safe on the roads, and the investigation and criminal prosecution of large-scale interstate odometer fraud is a part of those efforts. These types of fraud schemes keep older, less-safe, gas-guzzling vehicles on the nation’s highways, and victimize those who need reliable transportation to support their families. This case is an example of our commitment to ensuring justice for the victims and protecting the public.”  The NHTSA estimates that odometer fraud in the United States results in consumer losses of more than $1 billion annually.  Individuals with information relating to odometer tampering should call NHTSA’s odometer fraud hotline at (800) 424-9393 or (202) 366-4761.  More information on odometer fraud is available on the NHTSA website at https://www.nhtsa.gov/equipment/odometer-fraud and tips on detecting and avoiding odometer fraud are available at http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nvs/pdf/811284.pdf.

The Honorable David Cleveland Joseph, U.S. District Judge from the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, temporarily assigned to the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Brown will report to a United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve his non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Cooper and Jarrod Leaman represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Ryan Christopher Dill, age 35, of Ada, Oklahoma, entered guilty pleas to Count One: Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country and Count Three: Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country of the federal indictment.

The indictment alleged that on or about December 25, 2021, the defendant sexually assaulted a victim using force and by placing the victim in fear she would be subjected to death, serious bodily injury, or kidnapping. The indictment further alleged that the defendant assaulted the victim causing her serious bodily injury.

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

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the defendant is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in Pontotoc County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the pleas and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Sentencing by the United States District Judge will be scheduled following completion of the report. Dill was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony C. Marek and Caila M. Cleary represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced today that Shonda Lynette Johnson, age 51, of Fort Towson, Oklahoma was found guilty by a federal jury of Voluntary Manslaughter.

The jury trial began with testimony on Tuesday, September 27, 2022 and concluded on Thursday, September 29, 2022 with the guilty verdict.

During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on November 17, 2019, Shonda Johnson stabbed the victim Jamie Williams with a filet knife causing him to die.  When questioned by law enforcement, the Defendant lied on numerous occasions claiming she was not involved in the death of Mr. Williams.

The guilty verdict was the result of an investigation by the Choctaw County Sheriff's Office, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the defendant in this case is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crime occurred in Choctaw County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, and within 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 in Muskogee, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Johnson was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorneys Jordan Howanitz and Kevin Cheung represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dustin Kane Adams, age 42, of Troy, Oklahoma entered a guilty plea to Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2244(a)(5), 2246(3), 1151 & 1152, punishable by up to twenty-two years of imprisonment.

The Indictment alleged that beginning in March of 2015 and continuing until January of 2018, Dustin Adams, did knowingly engage in and cause sexual contact with a child who had not obtained the age of 12 years.

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

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the victim is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in Johnston County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, and within 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, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.

Special Assistant United States Attorneys Alan Metzger and Debra Barnett represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Nathan Dale Smith, age 32, of Pontotoc County, Oklahoma was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country and one count of Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country. The jury trial began on Tuesday, September 6, 2022, and concluded on Wednesday, September 7, 2022.

During the trial, the United States presented evidence that Nathan Dale 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.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the Defendant is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in Pontotoc County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation and the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The guilty verdicts were the result of an investigation by the Ada Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma in Muskogee, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Smith was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorneys Morgan Muzljakovich and Nicole Paladino represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - OKLAHOMA CITY – On Tuesday, September 6, 2022, law enforcement officials gathered in Sulphur, Oklahoma, for the 2022 Chickasaw Nation Public Safety Summit.  The Chickasaw Nation and United States Attorney’s Offices for the Western and Eastern Districts of Oklahoma co-hosted the event.  The Summit envisioned to embrace collaboration on jurisdictional changes in Indian Country, and to answer questions and discuss procedures following recent court rulings that have impacted Indian Country in Oklahoma.

“This Public Safety Summit served as an opportunity to reflect on what has been achieved and engage in a dialogue on how we can work together to accomplish even more,” said Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby. “While changing circumstances may affect the manner in which we carry out our criminal justice duties, our shared commitment to the pursuit of justice remains unchanged.  Working relationships among Tribal, State, and Federal law enforcement agencies and the working relationships of those agencies with Tribal, State, and Federal courts are built on that shared commitment. Through collaboration and cooperation, we are stronger, more equipped, and better able to plan and respond to the needs of our citizens.”

"The changing landscape of criminal jurisdiction in Oklahoma has posed some challenges for law enforcement,” said United States Attorney Christopher Wilson for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “This summit provided an excellent opportunity for local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies and prosecutors working within the Chickasaw Nation to meet together and focus on ways to ensure we are accomplishing our common mission to protect and serve.”

“We came together with the common resolve and commitment to protect public safety in the Chickasaw Nation, hold offenders accountable, and secure justice for victims of crime,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma.  “This discussion of important jurisdictional issues and addressing questions and issues raised by one another greatly enhanced the coordination, cooperation, and communication that is critically necessary between federal, state, local, and tribal officials going forward.”

The Summit included nearly 90 participants from the Chickasaw Nation, federal prosecutors, federal law enforcement, state law enforcement, tribal law enforcement, District Attorney’s Offices, Sheriffs’ Offices, and Police Departments operating within the Chickasaw Nation. The format included various panel discussions to address topics such as the following:

• Indian Country jurisdiction following the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals decision in Bosse v. Oklahoma on October 7, 2011, which applied the U.S. Supreme Court McGirt v. Oklahoma decision to the Chickasaw Nation.
• Concurrent Jurisdiction following the U.S. Supreme Court’s Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta decision on June 29, 2022.
• Law Enforcement Authority in Indian Country.
• Law enforcement and prosecutorial responses to crimes within the Chickasaw Nation.
• Updates in federal law and related programs.
• Public Safety services provided by the Chickasaw Nation.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Kevin Ray Ward, age 37, and Anthony Juan Armenta, age 32, both of McCurtain County, were found guilty by a federal jury of one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country, two counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to Do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, and one count of Use, Carry and Brandish of a Firearm during and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.

The jury trial began with testimony on Tuesday, August 16, 2022, and concluded on Friday, August 19, 2022, with the guilty verdicts.

During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on May 24, 2020, three young men, 17, 19, and 24, returned from fishing on the Mountain Fork River in McCurtain County, when they were confronted by the Defendants.  During the confrontation, the Defendants shot at all three of the victims, hitting one twice in the abdomen.  The Defendants also beat one of the victims with a pipe, a tire tool, and a pistol.

The guilty verdicts were the result of an investigation by the Idabel Police Department, McCurtain County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the defendants in this case are members of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in McCurtain County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Patrick R. Wyrick, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting in Oklahoma City, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Ward and Armenta were remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced today that George McEntire Smith, age 22, of Wagoner, Oklahoma was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of Murder in the First Degree in Indian Country and one count of Causing the Death of a Person by Use of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.

The jury trial began with testimony on Monday, August 1, 2022, and concluded on Friday, August 5, 2022, with the guilty verdicts. Based on the verdicts, the defendant is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of life imprisonment.

During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on April 8, 2021, a 69-year-old male was shot and killed inside his residence in Wagoner. The physical evidence indicated that the victim was shot twice in the back of the head, at a relatively close distance, with a .25-caliber firearm. The Defendant told responding officers that he was with the victim when unknown intruders entered the residence, shot the victim, then fled. Subsequent investigation revealed that the Defendant was in possession of a .25-caliber firearm several hours before the victim was killed and that Defendant’s account of how the killing occurred was inconsistent with the physical evidence at the scene.

The guilty verdicts were the result of an investigation by the Wagoner Police Department, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the Defendant in this case is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation.

The Honorable Timothy D. DeGiusti, U.S. Chief District Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, in Oklahoma City, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. The sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report and the Defendant will remain in custody of the United States Marshal until then.

Assistant United States Attorneys James Montoya and Casey Richmond represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Aaron Richard Eubanks, age 32, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a federal jury of five counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country.

The jury trial began with testimony on Tuesday, August 2, 2022, and concluded on Friday, August 5, 2022, with the guilty verdicts.

During the trial, the United States presented evidence that between January of 2020 and February of 2021, Aaron Richard Eubanks engaged in sexual acts with a minor victim, who had not reached 10 years of age, on at least five occasions. Further, the United States presented evidence that in February of 2021, Aaron Richard Eubanks engaged in sexual acts with a second minor victim, who had not reached the age of 11 at the time of the abuse.

The guilty verdicts were the result of an investigation by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the defendant in this case is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in Adair and Cherokee Counties, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Charles B. Goodwin, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting in Oklahoma City, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Eubanks was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorneys Caila M. Cleary and Anthony C. Marek represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Stetson Bruce, age 33, of Antlers, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a Federal jury of two counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country.

The jury trial began with testimony on Tuesday, July 19, 2022, and concluded on Thursday, July 21, 2022, with the guilty verdicts.

During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on more than one occasion during the time period of May 1, 2018, to May 31, 2020, the defendant sexually abused a five-year-old child. The evidence further revealed that on at least one occasion, another child witnessed the abuse.

The guilty verdicts were the result of an investigation by the Pushmataha County Sheriff’s Office, the Choctaw Nation Tribal Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the defendant is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in Pushmataha County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Bernard M. Jones, II, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting in Oklahoma City, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Bruce was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony C. Marek and Hannah Jones represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Anthony Brian Walker, age 40, of Ada, Oklahoma was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of Murder in Indian Country, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1111(a), 1151, and 1153.  The jury trial began on Monday, July 18, 2022 and concluded on Wednesday, July 20.  Based on the jury’s verdict, the Defendant is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of life imprisonment.

During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on November 21, 2021, the Defendant intentionally killed Jason “Bubba” Edward Hubbard, Jr. by stabbing him in the heart while Mr. Hubbard was sitting in a vehicle in the drive-thru of the Karry Out Korner in Ada, Oklahoma.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the Defendant is a member of a federally-recognized Indian tribe and the crime occurred in Pontotoc County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation and the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The guilty verdict was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police Department.

The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, sitting in Muskogee, Oklahoma, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report.  Sentencing will be scheduled following the completion of the report. Walker was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the sentencing hearing.

Assistant United States Attorney Cameron McEwen and Special Assistant United States Attorney Erin McKenzie represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Jacob Lance Pritchett, age 32, of Cherokee County, Oklahoma was found guilty by a federal jury of Aggravated Sexual Abuse and Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country. The jury trial began on Tuesday, July 5, 2022, and concluded on Friday, July 8.

During the trial, the United States presented evidence that the Defendant sexually abused a child on multiple occasions when the victim was six to nine years of age. The United States also presented evidence that on one occasion the Defendant sexually abused a second victim when the child was in the fifth grade.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the Defendant is a member of a federally-recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in Cherokee County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation and the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The guilty verdicts were the result of an investigation by the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma in Muskogee, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Pritchett was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.

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 today that William Clayton Brown, age 39, of McIntosh County, Oklahoma was found guilty by a federal jury of Murder in Indian Country, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1111(a), 1151, and 1153. The jury trial began on Tuesday, July 5, 2022, and concluded on Thursday, July 7. Based on the jury’s verdict, the Defendant is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of life imprisonment.

During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on October 19, 2019, the Defendant, a validated member of the Indian Brotherhood (IBH) prison gang, killed Mark Lawhead, his cellmate at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, by beating and strangling him. The evidence adduced at trial indicated that the Defendant committed the murder to improve his standing and reputation within the IBH.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the Defendant is a member of a federally-recognized Indian tribe and the crime occurred in Pittsburg County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation and the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The guilty verdict was the result of an investigation by the Oklahoma Department of Corrections Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The Honorable Jodi W. Dishman, U.S. District Judge for the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting in Oklahoma City, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following the completion of the report. Brown was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the sentencing hearing.

Assistant United States Attorneys James Montoya and Casey Richmond represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Tyler Jay Mullins, age 44, of Ada, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a federal jury of Murder in Indian Country, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1111(a), 1151, and 1153, and Causing the Death and Murder of a Person in the Course of a Violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(j)(1).

The jury trial began with testimony on Monday, June 27, 2022, and concluded on Thursday, June 30, 2022, with the guilty verdict.

During the trial, the United States presented evidence that in the early morning hours of April 20, 2002, the defendant severely beat his ex-girlfriend, Rachel Woodall. The defendant wrapped her in a tarp, put her into the trunk of his car, and drove her to a gravel/sand pit in rural Seminole County. The defendant placed the tarp-wrapped victim into a hole, shot her three times, and buried the body in the hole. The Medical Examiner determined Woodall died from the gun shots. After initially denying responsibility for Woodall’s death, on April 21, 2002, the defendant took law enforcement to where her body was located. A search of the scene also revealed 9mm shell casings in close proximity to the victim’s body.

The guilty verdict was the result of an investigation by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the defendant in this case is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crime occurred in Seminole County, within the boundaries of the Seminole Nation Reservation, and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Charles B. Goodwin, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting in Oklahoma City, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Mullins was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick Flanigan and Dean Burris represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Joshua Thomas Smith, age 41, of Vian, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a Federal jury of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child in Indian Country.

The jury trial began with testimony on Monday, June 27, 2022, and concluded on Wednesday, June 29, 2022, with the guilty verdict.

During the trial, the United States presented evidence that Joshua Thomas Smith sexually abused a child under the age of twelve from December of 2017 through March of 2018.

The guilty verdict was the result of an investigation by the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the defendant is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crime occurred in Sequoyah County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Bernard M. Jones, II, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting in Oklahoma City, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Smith was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorneys Edith Singer and Hannah Jones represented the United States.

This morning the United States Supreme Court issued its decision in Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta. This decision holds that the State of Oklahoma has concurrent jurisdiction with the federal government to prosecute non-Indians who commit crimes against Indian victims within Indian Country.

“Today’s decision does not diminish the United States’ trust responsibility to our tribal partners,” said United States Attorneys Christopher J. Wilson, Clinton J. Johnson, and Robert J. Troester. “The United States Attorney’s Offices in the Eastern, Northern, and Western Districts of Oklahoma will continue to enforce federal law in Indian Country. We will also continue to coordinate and cooperate with our state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners as well as state and tribal prosecutors to promote public safety and provide justice to all Oklahomans in Indian Country.”

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Stewart Wayne Coffman, age 59, of Idabel, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a federal jury of Second-Degree Murder in Indian Country and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to Do Bodily Harm in Indian Country.

The jury trial began with testimony on Tuesday, June 14, 2022, and concluded on Thursday, June 16, 2022, with the guilty verdicts.

During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on October 5, 2017, Stewart Wayne Coffman murdered Joe Freeman Battiest Jr. with a metal pipe, at Coffman’s residence in Idabel, Oklahoma.

The guilty verdicts were the result of an investigation by the Idabel Police Department, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Coffman was originally charged in October 2017 and convicted in October 2018 of First Degree Manslaughter in the District Court of McCurtain County, Oklahoma. Pursuant to the United States Supreme Court ruling in McGirt v. Oklahoma, the state conviction was reversed for lack of jurisdiction because the victim, Joe Freeman Battiest, Jr., was a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crime occurred within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation. Consequently, the defendant was charged and prosecuted in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Eric F. Melgren, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas, sitting in Muskogee, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Coffman was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorneys William Cosner and Erin Cornell represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Jonathan Ray Higginbotham, Jr, age 22, of Ardmore, Oklahoma was found guilty by a federal jury of Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country. 
The jury trial began with testimony on Tuesday, May 17, 2022, and concluded on Thursday, May 19, 2022, with the guilty verdict.

The evidence presented at trial proved that on January 19, 2021, the defendant fired a 9mm Hi-Point carbine killing George Powell in a private residence in the City of Ardmore.

The guilty verdict was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Ardmore Police Department.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the defendant in this case is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crime occurred in Carter County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Scott L. Palk, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Higginbotham was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick Flanigan and Casey Richmond represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Edgar Rene Garcia-Limon, age 34, was found guilty by a federal jury of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country, Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country, Felon in Possession of Firearm, and Illegal Reentry of Previously Removed Alien.

The jury trial began with testimony on Tuesday, May 17, 2022, and concluded on Wednesday, May 18, 2022, with the guilty verdicts.

During the trial, the United States presented evidence the defendant sexually abused a female child.  The sexual abuse began when the victim was four years old and continued until age 11.  The United States also presented evidence the defendant is a felon and was in possession of two firearms.  Finally, the United States presented evidence the Defendant, who is an alien from Mexico, illegally returned to the United States after having been previously removed from the United States.

The guilty verdicts were the result of an investigation by the Tulsa Police Department, Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police, Homeland Security Investigations & Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the victim in this case is a member of a federally-recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in Okmulgee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Robert C. Brack, United States District Judge out of the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico, temporarily assigned to the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following the completion of the report. Garcia-Limon was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin D. Traster and Julie Mazur represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced today that Patrick Dwayne Murphy, age 53, of Vernon, Oklahoma was sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty by a federal jury of Murder – Second Degree in Indian Country, Murder in Indian Country in Perpetration of Kidnapping, and Kidnapping Resulting in Death. The life sentences on each count were ordered to run concurrently.

Murphy was originally tried and convicted in 2000 in the District Court of McIntosh County, Oklahoma. Murphy challenged his murder conviction arguing that the State of Oklahoma did not have jurisdiction to prosecute him because he is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and Congress had never disestablished the Muscogee (Creek) reservation. The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit agreed and vacated Murphy’s conviction. The State of Oklahoma appealed the decision to the United States Supreme Court. While the United States Supreme Court was considering Oklahoma’s appeal, the Court handed down its ruling in McGirt v. Oklahoma which affirmed the Tenth Circuit’s ruling regarding Murphy.

As a result, Murphy was charged in federal court and convicted by a federal jury in August 2021. During the trial, the United States presented evidence that two days before the murder the defendant stated he would kill George Jacobs. On August 28, 1999, the defendant found George Jacobs and Jacobs’ friend, M.S., driving on a road in rural McIntosh County. The defendant chased after M.S. and George Jacobs in his vehicle and ultimately forced M.S. and George Jacobs to stop. The defendant, along with two others, attacked George Jacobs. After beating and kicking him, the defendant cut Jacob’s throat with a knife and cut off his penis and testicles. The next day, deputies of the McIntosh County Sheriff’s Department and agents with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation apprehended and arrested the defendant.

“After more than twenty years, justice has been restored to the George Jacobs family,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Although the life sentences imposed by the Court will not take away the family’s pain and sorrow, they can take solace knowing the defendant will be held accountable for the heinous crimes he committed. I am grateful for the tireless work of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and our team at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in reinvestigating and successfully prosecuting the defendant decades after his vicious acts.”

"The nature and circumstances of the defendant's brutal killing of George Jacobs are beyond description, and inescapable in the eyes of justice," said Special Agent in Charge Edward Gray of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. "For his crimes, Patrick Murphy will now spend the rest of his life behind the bars of a federal prison cell. It’s our sincerest hope that this sentencing, through the perseverance of those who worked this case, brings justice and closure to George’s family.”

The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma in Muskogee, presided over the sentencing hearing. Murphy was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal to await commitment to a United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve his non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorneys Jarrod Leaman and Robert Reeves prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Bradley Wayne Morris, age 36, of Muskogee, Oklahoma was found guilty by a federal jury of two counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country and two counts of Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child in Indian Country.

The jury trial began with testimony on Monday, May 2, 2022, and concluded on Thursday, May 5, 2022, with the guilty verdicts. Based on the verdicts, the defendant is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years up to life imprisonment.

During the trial, the United States presented evidence that between January 2018 and February 2020, the defendant sexually abused a child under the age of 12.

The guilty verdicts were the result of an investigation by the Muskogee Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the victim in this case is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, and within 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 in Muskogee, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Morris was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorneys James Montoya and Hannah Jones represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Martha Christine Simpson, age 45, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma was found guilty by a federal jury of Voluntary Manslaughter in Indian Country.

The jury trial began with testimony on Monday, May 2, 2022, and concluded on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, with the guilty verdict.

During the trial, the United States presented evidence that during the early morning hours of July 15, 2019, Jabaica Tecumseh and Tommy Tecumseh came to Martha Simpson’s Broken Arrow home. Jabaica Tecumseh and Tommy Tecumseh beat and kicked Martha Simpson’s boyfriend, Trevor Richardson. Martha Simpson then stabbed Richardson with a knife.

Richardson’s body was wrapped in a blanket and loaded in the trunk of his own vehicle. Jabaica Tecumseh drove the vehicle from the crime scene and later burned the body at a remote location in Okmulgee County. After the killing, Simpson cleaned up the crime scene.

The guilty verdict was the result of an investigation by the Broken Arrow Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the defendant in this case is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crime occurred in Wagoner County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, and within 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 in Muskogee, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Simpson was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney William Cosner and Assistant United States Attorney Michael Mazur represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Lloyd Ray Hatley, age 67, of Ada, Oklahoma was found guilty by a federal jury of Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country.

The jury trial began with testimony on Tuesday, April 26, 2022, and concluded on Friday, April 29, 2022, with the guilty verdict.

During the trial, the United States presented evidence that, on February 22, 2017, Lloyd Ray Hatley was driving a pickup truck on State Highway One in Pontotoc County.  Travelling at a high rate of speed, and failing to devote his full time and attention to driving, he crashed directly into the rear of a Pontiac Grand Am driven by Gay Ott and occupied by passengers Mary Nappa and Stephen Ott.  The collision killed Mary Nappa and caused great bodily injury to Gay Ott, who passed away in 2020.

The guilty verdict was the result of an investigation by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the defendant in this case is a member of a federally-recognized Indian tribe and the crime occurred in Pontotoc County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Charles B. Goodwin, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report.  Hatley was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Gross and Special Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Ibanez represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced today that Heather Nicole Bycroft, age 37, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Child and one count of Possession of Certain Material involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.

The jury trial began with testimony on Monday, April 25, 2022, and concluded on Tuesday, April 26, 2022, with the guilty verdicts. Based on the verdicts, the defendant is facing up to thirty years of imprisonment.

During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on July 4th, 2015, Heather Nicole Bycroft, together with her husband, Jason Cory Bycroft, created visual depictions of sexually explicit conduct involving a six year old girl.  At the time of her arrest in 2021, Heather Bycroft was working as a first grade teacher at Bixby Public Schools.

The guilty verdicts were the result of an investigation by the Broken Arrow Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The Honorable Timothy D. DeGiusti, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. The sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Heather Bycroft was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencings.

Prior to Heather Bycroft’s trial, her codefendant, Jason Cory Bycroft entered a guilty plea to two counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Child and two counts of Possession of Certain Material involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. His sentencing will be scheduled following the completion of a presentence report.

Assistant United States Attorney Morgan Muzljakovich and Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Jones represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - Christopher J. Wilson has been appointed by the United States District Court as United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. Chief Judge Ronald A. White administered the oath to Wilson who will serve until a presidentially appointed Senate confirmed U.S Attorney is named.

“I am honored and grateful to the District Court judges for allowing me to continue serving as United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma,” said Wilson. “I am blessed to lead a talented and dedicated team at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and it remains our goal to work closely with our law enforcement partners to protect the people of the Eastern District and hold federal offenders accountable.”

Wilson became Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District on March 1, 2021. Attorney General Merrick Garland then appointed Wilson on December 26, 2021, to be the Interim U.S. Attorney for a period of 120 days. Prior to his designation as Acting U.S. Attorney, Wilson was the First Assistant United States Attorney and previously served as Chief of the Criminal Division.

Wilson has been an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma since April 2006. As a federal prosecutor, he handled a wide variety of criminal matters including terrorism, violent crime, firearms, white collar, public corruption, narcotics, and child exploitation. Wilson served as the Eastern District’s Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council Coordinator (ATAC), National Security Cyber Specialist (NSCS), Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property Coordinator (CHIP), Project Safe Childhood Coordinator (PSC), Elder Justice Coordinator (EJC), District Security Manager (DOSM), and Crisis Management Coordinator (CMC). In 2018, Wilson received the Executive Office of United States Attorneys Director’s Award for Superior Performance in Indian Country.

Wilson, a life-long resident of Oklahoma, received his Bachelor of Science degree from Oklahoma Christian College in 1986, graduating summa cum laude, and his Juris Doctor with Distinction degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 1989. Wilson’s career as a criminal prosecutor began in 1991 as an Assistant District Attorney in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma. He served as the First Assistant for Oklahoma’s 18th Prosecutorial District (Pittsburg and Haskell counties) for two District Attorneys and was the elected District Attorney for District 18 from January 2003 to April 2006.

A member of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma was sentenced today to more than 12 years in prison for his conduct in connection with a homicide that took place in 2017 within Indian Country in Oklahoma. The defendant was sentenced to 155 months for kidnapping and 120 months for being a felon in possession of a firearm, to run concurrently, followed by five years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, Nicholas Earl Faulkner, 32, of Holdenville, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to kidnapping and being a felon in possession of a firearm in May 2019. According to his plea, in April 2017, Faulkner was living with co-defendant Matthew Armstrong, who was involved in smuggling contraband into various prisons and jails for the Indian Brotherhood (IBH), a prison-based Indian gang active in Oklahoma.

According to court documents, on April 16, 2017, at Armstrong’s residence, Armstrong had a dispute over drugs with the victim, who was also staying at the home. Armstrong and Faulkner took the victim into the woods behind the residence where Armstrong tied her to a tree. Faulkner brought Armstrong the binding materials, at Armstrong’s direction. Faulkner and Armstrong left the victim tied to the tree for several hours and then returned with a rifle. Armstrong shot the victim twice killing her. Faulkner then took the gun and left the area at the direction of Armstrong.

Armstrong pleaded guilty in October 2021 to murder in Indian country, kidnapping and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He will be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Wilson of the Eastern District of Oklahoma, and Special Agent in Charge Edward Gray of the FBI’s Oklahoma City Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.

Trial Attorneys Rami Badawy and Brian Morgan of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zach Parsons of the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – A member of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma was sentenced today to more than 12 years in prison for his conduct in connection with a homicide that took place in 2017 within Indian Country in Oklahoma. The defendant was sentenced to 155 months for kidnapping and 120 months for being a felon in possession of a firearm, to run concurrently, followed by five years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, Nicholas Earl Faulkner, 32, of Holdenville, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to kidnapping and being a felon in possession of a firearm in May 2019. According to his plea, in April 2017, Faulkner was living with co-defendant Matthew Armstrong, who was involved in smuggling contraband into various prisons and jails for the Indian Brotherhood (IBH), a prison-based Indian gang active in Oklahoma.

According to court documents, on April 16, 2017, at Armstrong’s residence, Armstrong had a dispute over drugs with the victim, who was also staying at the home. Armstrong and Faulkner took the victim into the woods behind the residence where Armstrong tied her to a tree. Faulkner brought Armstrong the binding materials, at Armstrong’s direction. Faulkner and Armstrong left the victim tied to the tree for several hours and then returned with a rifle. Armstrong shot the victim twice killing her. Faulkner then took the gun and left the area at the direction of Armstrong. Faulkner and Armstrong later purchased concrete mix, returned to the murder scene, untied the victim’s body, dug a shallow grave, placed the body in the grave, and covered it with concrete and soil.

Armstrong pleaded guilty in October 2021 to murder in Indian country, kidnapping and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He will be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr., of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Wilson of the Eastern District of Oklahoma, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge Edward Gray of the FBI’s Oklahoma City Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.

Trial Attorneys Rami Badawy and Brian Morgan of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zack Parsons of the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced today that Jerry Dewayne Rogers, age 59, of Sallisaw, Oklahoma was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country, three counts of Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian County, and one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country.

The jury trial began with testimony on Monday, April 18, 2022, and concluded on Wednesday, April 20, 2022, with the guilty verdicts. Based on the verdicts, the defendant is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of not less than thirty years imprisonment.

During the trial, the United States presented evidence that the defendant sexually abused a child.  The sexual abuse began when the victim was 8 years old and continued until age 13 years.

The guilty verdicts were the result of an investigation by the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the victim is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in Sequoyah County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Timothy D. DeGiusti, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Rogers was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin D. Traster was the lead prosecutor representing the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced today that Michael David Jackson, age 40, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma was sentenced to three individual life sentences on two counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under 12 and one count of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child Under 12 Years. Jackson was also sentenced to 360 months for one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Child/Use of a Child to Produce a Visual Depiction and 240 months for two counts of Possession of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. All sentences will run concurrently.

The defendant was convicted by a federal jury on July 1, 2021. During the trial, the United States presented evidence that Jackson began sexually abusing the victim in the fall of 2019 and the abuse continued until late-December 2019. The child’s parents testified they relied on Jackson to provide childcare while they worked because they thought they could trust Jackson. In his caretaking role, Jackson had continued access to the child, which included staying overnight. Jackson used this time with the victim to sexually abuse her. The trial evidence also proved Jackson used a cell phone camera to capture images of the abuse.

“The sentence ordered by the Court will ensure that the defendant will never have the ability to abuse or exploit another child," said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Cases like this are especially heart-wrenching. I am thankful for the work of the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Attorney’s Office to see to it the defendant was brought to justice.”

“Our children undoubtedly represent our nation’s future”, said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Ed Gray. “This sentence provides a clear depiction of what will continue to happen to perpetrators who defile our nation’s innocent. As protectors of the American people, the FBI will continue its unwavering fight against those who try to thwart our nation’s bright future in any capacity.”

The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma in Muskogee, presided over the sentencing hearing. Jackson was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal to await commitment to a United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve his non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorneys Courtney Jordan and Dean Burris prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Early Willard Woodmore, III, age 34, of Quinton, Oklahoma and Calvin James Woodmore, age 33, of McAlester, Oklahoma were found guilty by a federal jury of Drug Conspiracy, Drug Distribution, Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering and Money Laundering. A copy of the original indictment can be found at https://go.usa.gov/xdYg4. All other indicted codefendants previously entered pleas of guilty.

The jury trial began with testimony on Monday, April 4, 2022, and concluded on Thursday, April 7, 2022, with the verdicts of guilty on all counts for both defendants. Based on the jury’s verdicts, both Early Willard Woodmore III and Calvin James Woodmore could receive up to life imprisonment.

During the trial, the United States presented evidence that beginning in 2017 and continuing until the end of 2019, Early Woodmore, III operated a methamphetamine distribution organization based in Haskell and Pittsburg counties.  Early Woodmore, III, working with his source of supply in California, received numerous multi-pound shipments of methamphetamine sent through the United States Postal Service to various addresses in Haskell and Pittsburg counties. Early Woodmore, III, Calvin Woodmore, and other codefendants repackaged the methamphetamine into smaller quantities and distributed it in the Pittsburg and Haskell county area. After being arrested in April 2019 on state charges of assault and kidnapping, the Woodmores continued to operate the organization from within the Haskell County Jail, utilizing the inmate phone system. The Woodmore drug trafficking organization utilized money wire services and banks to send payments for the methamphetamine to the source of supply in California. The trial evidence further showed that the Woodmores engaged in acts of violence and retaliation against those they suspected of cooperating with law enforcement.

The guilty verdicts arose from a joint investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), along with Haskell County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics (“OBN”), the District 18 District Attorney’s Drug Task Force, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”), the United States Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”), the National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (“BIA”), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”), the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, the McAlester Police Department, and the Stigler Police Department. The investigation was part of and included members of the DEA High Intensity Drug Trafficking (“HIDTA”) Task Force.

This case is also part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program. The OCDETF program is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s drug supply reduction strategy. OCDETF was established to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illicit drug supply.

The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma in Muskogee, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of the presentence reports for both defendants. Sentencings will be scheduled following completion of the reports. Both defendants were remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of the sentencings.

Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Conway and Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Cheung represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Diamond Levi Britt, age 27, of Henryetta, Oklahoma was sentenced to life imprisonment for being found guilty by jury trial of First-Degree Murder in Indian Country. Britt’s federal jury trial began with testimony on Tuesday, July 13, 2021, and concluded on Thursday, July 15, 2021, with the guilty verdict.

During Britt’s jury trial, the United States presented evidence that on September 16, 2019, the defendant attacked his father, Gary Britt, with a samurai sword. The victim suffered significant injuries including a partially severed arm, multiple head wounds, and a transected quadriceps tendon. The victim died nine days after the attack due to complications from his injuries.

The evidence at trial further demonstrated that Britt knowingly and deliberately killed his father, with premeditation. On at least two occasions prior to the attack the defendant informed family members he intended to kill his father. After the vicious attack, Britt left the crime scene and was observed by Henryetta police officers walking along a roadway carrying the sword. Britt was taken into custody and made numerous statements that night indicating that he wanted to kill his father and that he regularly thought about stabbing his father.  After hearing argument from the parties during the sentencing hearing, United States District Court Judge John F. Heil, III sentenced Britt to life in prison.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the defendant is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crime occurred in Okmulgee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The case was the result of an investigation by the Okmulgee County Sheriff’s Office, the Henryetta Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

“A life sentence is fit punishment,” said Christopher J. Wilson, United States Attorney. “The defendant viciously murdered his father with a samurai sword. His acts were almost unthinkable, and my heart goes out to the victim’s family. Prosecuting violent crime in Indian Country like this continues to be of paramount importance to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.”

No excuse can justify the premeditated act of savagery committed by this man, who will now spend the rest of his life behind bars” said Ed Gray, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Oklahoma City Division. “The FBI stands strongly with our tribal partners in our joint commitment to bring to justice those who engage in such brutality. Violent crimes, such as this horrendous act, will never go unchallenged.”

The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the sentencing hearing. Special Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle J. Essley and Robert Reeves represented the United States. Britt was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal to await commitment to a United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve his non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Christopher Wallace Covington, age 41, of Ada, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information charging him with one count of Theft Concerning Programs Receiving Federal Funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 666(a)(1)(A).  The offense is punishable by up to 10 years of imprisonment, a fine of $250,000.00, or both.

The Information alleged that from January 6, 2017 to May 11, 2021, the defendant, an accounting manager within the Chickasaw Nation Department of Treasury, Division of Headquarters Finance, stole and obtained by fraud more than $225,000.00 and less than $550,000.00 from the Chickasaw Nation.  The defendant redirected funds from the Chickasaw Nation’s General Fund bank account to his personal Coinbase.com account.  The Chickasaw Nation is a federally recognized Indian tribal government and organization which receives federal benefits and assistance.

The charges arose from an investigation by 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 released on a personal recognizance appearance bond pending formal sentencing.

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

WASHINGTON – An enrolled member of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma pleaded guilty today to second degree murder in Indian Country in connection with a homicide that took place in 2015 in Oklahoma.

According to court documents, in May 2015, John Douglas Knight, 41, and Matthew Armstrong, 32. both of Seminole, Oklahoma, received orders from the Indian Brotherhood, a prison-based gang active in Oklahoma, to go to victim Scotty Candler’s residence and question him. Knight and Armstrong, both carrying firearms, went to Candler’s residence in Seminole County. Knight and Armstrong planned to question, point their firearms at Candler, and beat him up. Instead, Knight and Armstrong shot Candler in the head, killing him. Knight and Armstrong then ran from the residence and disposed of the firearms.

Armstrong pleaded guilty on Oct. 20, 2021 and is awaiting sentencing. According to court documents in that case, Knight and Armstrong went to question the victim Candler about an unrelated homicide that took place behind a WalMart store in Seminole.

Knight pleaded guilty to murder in the second degree. He will be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Wilson of the Eastern District of Oklahoma, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge Edward Gray of the FBI’s Oklahoma City Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation are investigating the cases.

Trial Attorneys Brian Morgan and Rami Badawy of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section are prosecuting the case in coordination with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

An enrolled member of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma pleaded guilty today to second degree murder in Indian Country in connection with a homicide that took place in 2015 in Oklahoma.

According to court documents, in May 2015, John Douglas Knight, 41, and Matthew Armstrong, 32. both of Seminole, Oklahoma, received orders from the Indian Brotherhood, a prison-based gang active in Oklahoma, to go to victim Scotty Candler’s residence and question him. Knight and Armstrong, both carrying firearms, went to Candler’s residence in Seminole County. Knight and Armstrong planned to question, point their firearms at Candler, and beat him up. Instead, Knight and Armstrong shot Candler in the head, killing him. Knight and Armstrong then ran from the residence and disposed of the firearms. 

Armstrong pleaded guilty on Oct. 20, 2021 and is awaiting sentencing. According to court documents in that case, Knight and Armstrong went to question the victim Candler about an unrelated homicide that took place behind a Walmart store in Seminole. Another individual, Kadetrix Grayson, was charged with the homicide in question and is awaiting trial in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. 

Knight pleaded guilty to murder in the second degree. He will be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Wilson of the Eastern District of Oklahoma, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge Edward Gray of the FBI’s Oklahoma City Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation are investigating the cases.

Trial Attorneys Brian Morgan and Rami Badawy of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section are prosecuting the case in coordination with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced today that Kevin Marvell Jackson, age 20, of Muskogee, Oklahoma was found guilty by a federal jury of murder in Indian country, along with robbery and firearm offenses. 

The jury trial began with testimony on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, and concluded on Thursday, March 3, 2022, with the guilty verdicts. Based on the jury’s verdict, the defendant is facing a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment.

During the trial, the United States presented evidence the defendant attempted to rob Bradley Dillon and Dakota Berryhill of what he believed to be a large amount of casino winnings during the early morning hours of October 19, 2020.  The defendant hatched the plan to rob Dillon and Berryhill after overhearing telephone conversations about the winnings between friends of Dillon.  Unbeknownst to defendant, Dillon and Berryhill were simply joking about the casino winnings and had very little money when defendant attempted to rob them at gunpoint.  While Berryhill escaped the robbery, defendant shot Dillon at least five times.  Defendant fled the scene and was apprehended in the Oklahoma City area after a manhunt led by the FBI.

The guilty verdicts were the result of an investigation by the Muskogee Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the victims in this case are members of a federally-recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, and within 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 in Muskogee, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Jackson was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Michael Cooper represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced today that Justin Miles Ness, age 40, of Porum, Oklahoma was found guilty by a federal jury of Felon in Possession of Firearm & Ammunition.

The jury trial began with testimony on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, and concluded on Wednesday, March 2, 2022, with a verdict of guilty. Based on the jury’s verdict, the defendant could potentially receive up to ten years of imprisonment.

During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on September 8, 2021, federal agents served a federal search warrant on Justin Miles Ness’ residence in Porum, Oklahoma.  Agents seized a firearm and over 500 rounds of ammunition.  The evidence also included photographs, video/audio and text messages from Ness’s Facebook account wherein the defendant, a convicted felon, was shown to be in possession of a firearm and discussing the acquisition of firearms.

The guilty verdict was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma in Muskogee, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Ness was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney William Cosner and Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Conway represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced today that Elijah Dewayne Hicks, age 22, of Okemah, Oklahoma was found guilty by a federal jury of Murder in Indian Country; Use, Carry, Brandish, and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; and Causing the Death of a Person in the Course of a Violation of Title 18 United States Code § 924(c).

The jury trial began with testimony on Tuesday, February 15, 2022, and concluded on Thursday, February 17, 2022, with a verdict of guilty on all three criminal counts. Based on the jury’s verdicts, the defendant could potentially receive up to life imprisonment.

During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on August 7, 2021, the defendant intentionally killed his cousin, Timothy Ray Buckley, by shooting him four times, and then fled before law enforcement could arrive, resulting in a four-month long manhunt by the FBI.  The incident occurred in Okemah, Oklahoma.

The guilty verdicts were the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Muscogee (Creek) Lighthorse Police, and the Okemah Police Department.

“I am thankful for the cooperative efforts of our local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement partners in investigating and prosecuting the defendant,” said United States Attorney Christopher Wilson. “Prosecuting violent crime in Indian Country, like the ruthless act of the defendant in this case, remains the priority of the United States Attorney’s Office, and I am proud of the tireless efforts and excellent work of our attorneys, victim assistants, witness coordinators, and support staff each day.”

"The FBI is tasked with investigating the most heinous crimes in Indian Country, including murder. We are committed to not only investigating these crimes but to holding violent offenders like Mr. Hicks accountable for their actions,” said Edward J. Gray, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. “We will continue working with our partners to obtain justice for the victims and to protect the communities we serve in Eastern Oklahoma.”

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the defendant is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in Okfuskee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Bernard M. Jones, II, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Hicks was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Charles Bucca and 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 today Christopher J. Wilson has been appointed by United States Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and sworn in by Chief United States District Ronald A. White as Interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The appointment became effective on December 26, 2021 and will continue for a period of 120 days.

Mr. Wilson has been the Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District pursuant to the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998 since March 1, 2021. Prior to his designation as Acting U.S. Attorney, Mr. Wilson was the First Assistant United States Attorney and previously served as Chief of the Criminal Division.

“I am humbled and honored to continue serving as United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma,” said Wilson. “I believe there is no higher calling than to protect and serve the people of the Eastern District, and I am blessed to work with an amazing team at the United States Attorney’s Office. In coordination with our local, state, tribal and federal partners, the men and women in the U.S. Attorney’s Office are committed to discharging our mission of prosecuting violations of federal law, pursuing justice for crime victims, and protecting the security and financial interests of the United States.”

Mr. Wilson has been an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma since 2006. As a federal prosecutor, Mr. Wilson handled a wide variety of criminal matters including terrorism, violent crime, firearms, white collar, public corruption, narcotics, and child exploitation. He served as the Eastern District’s Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council Coordinator (ATAC), National Security Cyber Specialist (NSCS), Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property Coordinator (CHIP), Project Safe Childhood Coordinator (PSC), Elder Justice Coordinator (EJC), District Security Manager (DOSM), and Crisis Management Coordinator (CMC). In 2018, Mr. Wilson received the Executive Office of United States Attorneys Director’s Award for Superior Performance in Indian Country.

Mr. Wilson, a life-long resident of Oklahoma, received his Bachelor of Science degree from Oklahoma Christian College in 1986, graduating summa cum laude, and his Juris Doctor with Distinction degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 1989. Mr. Wilson’s career as a criminal prosecutor began in 1991 as an Assistant District Attorney in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma. He served as the First Assistant for Oklahoma’s 18th Prosecutorial District (Pittsburg and Haskell counties) for two District Attorneys and was the elected District Attorney for District 18 from January 2003 to April 2006.
 

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) announced awards to 11 Indian Tribal governments to support them in exercising special domestic violence criminal jurisdiction (SDVCJ). The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (VAWA 2013) recognized the authority of tribes to exercise SDVCJ over certain defendants, regardless of their Indian or non-Indian status, who commit crimes of domestic violence or dating violence or violate certain protection orders in Indian country.

“We heard from tribal leaders that they need access to funds to support the day-to-day costs of SDVCJ, and I’m pleased to announce OVW is issuing eleven awards to implementing tribes to defray these costs,” said OVW Principal Deputy Director Allison Randall. “OVW is dedicated to working with tribes to address challenges in protecting victims and responding to offenders in their communities, as well as supporting tribal sovereignty."

The recipients of the one-year awards under OVW’s Tribal Jurisdiction Program are: Chickasaw Nation ($250,000), Oklahoma; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, North Carolina; Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes, Montana; Muscogee (Creek) Nation ($250,000), Oklahoma; Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, Michigan; Pascua Yaqui Tribe, Arizona; Port Gamble S’klallam Tribe, Washington; Pueblo of Santa Clara, New Mexico; Seminole Nation ($249,352) of Oklahoma; the Cherokee Nation ($250,000) of Oklahoma; and the Tulalip Tribes of Washington.

“Domestic violence is a scourge which impacts all segments of the Eastern District of Oklahoma, including our Tribal Nations,” said Acting United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “This grant funding will aid Cherokee, Chickasaw, Muscogee (Creek), Seminole and Tribal prosecutors in the Eastern District to address the issue of domestic violence within their reservations.”

OVW’s Tribal Jurisdiction Program was authorized under VAWA 2013 and supports tribes with jurisdiction over Indian country in exercising SDVCJ. Tribal Jurisdiction Program funds may be used to strengthen tribal criminal justice systems, provide indigent criminal defense, conduct jury trials and provide services and applicable rights to crime victims. Costs could include, but are not necessarily limited to, incarceration costs (including medical care) for non-Indian SDVCJ defendants, trial costs for SDVCJ cases, defense counsel costs, costs associated with empaneling a jury for an SDVCJ trial, batterer’s intervention or other pre- or post-conviction supervision or programming costs and related training and technical assistance.

About the Office on Violence Against Women

The Office on Violence Against Women provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities across the country that are developing programs, policies and practices aimed at ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw.
 

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The Department of Justice announced today that it has awarded more than $17.5 million in grants to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. Funding will support efforts across the country to address violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. The Office of the Oklahoma Attorney General was awarded $326,903 to administer PSN grant funds in Oklahoma.  Acting U.S. Attorney Clinton J. Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma, Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma, and Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Wilson for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, joined in the announcement.

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), part of the department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), will administer the 88 grant awards, which are being made to designated fiscal agents to support local PSN projects that work in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.  With approval from BJA, the Fiscal Agent will begin the process of making subawards for PSN grant projects.

“This latest Project Safe Neighborhoods grant is critical to addressing the violent crime threatening cities and towns all across our country,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Ensuring the safety of all Americans is the highest priority for the Department of Justice, but when it comes to violent crime, there is not a one-size-fits-all solution. We have to work closely with local public safety agencies as well as community organizations to craft individual strategies unique to each community’s needs. Programs like Project Safe Neighborhoods and the funding it provides allow us to do just that.”

“Violent crime impacts communities throughout Oklahoma. This grant funding will continue to allow our Offices to coordinate with the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office and our law enforcement partners to reduce violence and build confidence in the communities we collectively serve,” said Acting U.S. Attorneys Johnson, Troester, and Wilson. “Together with the Attorney General’s Office, we are devoted to safeguarding Oklahomans, disrupting violent crime, and forging new pathways to address underlying issues that may trigger violent conduct throughout the State.”

“My top priority as Attorney General is the safety of all Oklahomans,” said Oklahoma Attorney General John O’Connor.”  “The Project Safe Neighborhoods grants will allow our office, in partnership with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, to prevent and fight violent crime in our great state.”

“Investing in our communities, supporting victims and building a justice system that both keeps people safe and earns their trust – these are mutually reinforcing goals that stand at the heart of Project Safe Neighborhoods,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon for OJP. “The Office of Justice Programs is pleased to join with our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, and with jurisdictions across the country, as we work together to meet the challenges of crime and violence and achieve our shared aspirations of public safety and community trust.”

In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime issued by Deputy Attorney General Monaco, is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.

This fall, U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country have enhanced their violent crime reduction efforts to ensure alignment with the department’s comprehensive violent crime reduction strategy. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices have engaged in outreach to law enforcement and other agencies and organizations serving communities to identify the most significant drivers of violence in their districts. Working together with a broad coalition of stakeholders, the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices are addressing the most pressing violent crime issues in their district to make our neighborhoods safer for all.

PSN programs are led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in collaboration with local public safety agencies, community stakeholders and other agencies and organizations that work to reduce violent crime. 

For a list of all grantees, please visit: https://www.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh241/files/media/document/FY21-Project-Safe-Neighborhoods-Awards.pdf.

The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at  www.ojp.gov.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced today that Michael Allen Farris, age 48, of Bunch, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a federal jury of five counts of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1151, 1153, 2243(a), and 2246(2)(A).

The jury trial began with testimony on Monday, November 29, 2021, and concluded on Wednesday, December 1, 2021, with the guilty verdicts. Based on the jury’s verdicts, the defendant is facing up to 15 years of imprisonment for each count.

During the trial, the United States presented evidence that between June 2019 and August 2019, the defendant sexually assaulted the 13-year-old victim.

The guilty verdicts were the result of an investigation by the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the defendant in this case is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in Sequoyah County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Timothy D. DeGiusti, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Farris was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Marek and Assistant United States Attorney Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.