Eastern District of Oklahoma

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Oscar Armando Banegas Mendoza, a/k/a Oscar Armando Banegas-Bendoza, Oscar Armando Banegas Mendoza, Oscar Armando Banegas-Mendoza, Oscar Banegas-Bendoza, Oscar Banegas Mendoza, Oscar Armando Banegas, Oscar Armando, Oscar Banegas-Mendoza, Oscar Banegas, Oscar Mendoza, Oscar Armando Banegas Bendoza, originally complained as Oscar Armando Banegas Bendoza, age 41, a Honduran national unlawfully present in Sallisaw, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than ten years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00.

The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

The Indictment alleged that on December 16, 2025, Banegas Mendoza, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on November 27, 2010.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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

A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Banegas Mendoza will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Richard Leroy Osborn III, age 48, of Wagoner County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to life in prison for five counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country and one count of Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country, and to two years in prison for two counts of Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country.  The Court ordered the terms to be served concurrently.

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

On December 11, 2024, at the conclusion of a three-day trial, a federal jury convicted Osborn on all eight counts.  According to investigators, Osborn began sexually assaulting three children in 2011.  In May of 2022, one of the children came forward to report the abuse.  At trial, the United States presented evidence that Osborn had also sexually abused three other victims when they were minors.  Osborn, who was convicted in 2005 of Rape in the Second Degree in the State of Oklahoma, was a registered sex offender when he committed these crimes.

The crimes occurred in Wagoner County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservations, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

“It’s heartbreaking when innocent people in our communities are victimized, especially our children,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “It remains a priority of the United States Attorney’s Office to pursue justice for crime victims. In this case, the defendant, a convicted sex offender, abused three children and the life sentences imposed by the Court are fitting punishments for his heinous crimes.”

The Honorable Robert J. Shelby, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the District of Utah, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing.  Osborn will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Bryan Dewayne Goodbear, a/k/a Bryan D. Goodbear, a/k/a Bryan W. Goodbear, a/k/a Sonny F. Goodbear, age 29, formerly of Edmond, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 174 months in prison for one count of Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.

On June 18, 2025, Goodbear pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on August 16, 2023, Goodbear and two other inmates of the Davis Correctional Facility stabbed a fellow inmate over 70 times, causing severe injuries to the victim’s neck, chest, and abdomen.  The crime occurred in Hughes County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Robert J. Shelby, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court of Utah, sitting by special appointment, presided over the hearing.  Goodbear will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lewis M. Reagan, T. Cameron McEwen, and Patrick M. Flanigan represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Garland Leon Seay, age 39, of Haileyville, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 5 years’ probation for two counts of Theft of Government Property, and 5 years’ probation for one count of Entering a Military Installation for a Purpose Prohibited by Law. All three counts are to be served concurrently.

The charges arose from an investigation by the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant Police Department, the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Savanna Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On April 22, 2026, Seay pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, on July 22, 2024, law enforcement discovered Seay in possession of various items he had stolen from the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant (MCAAP), including an inert training missile. During the ensuing investigation, law enforcement recovered additional MCAAP property stolen by Seay over the prior year.

The Honorable Robert J. Shelby, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the District of Utah, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lewis M. Reagan and T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jimmy Charles Wright, age 48, of Park Hill, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 137 months in prison for one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country, and to forty-eight months for two counts of Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country.  The Court ordered the sentences to be served concurrently.

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

On July 24, 2025, Wright pleaded guilty to the charges.  According to investigators, beginning on February 27, 2024, and continuing until March 11, 2024, Wright knowingly engaged in sexual contact and sex acts with a minor child who had attained the age of 12 but was under the age of 16, and was at least four years younger than Wright.

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

The Honorable Robert J. Shelby, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the District of Utah, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing.  Wright will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dale Warren Gribnitz, age 67, of Valliant, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 5 years of probation for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Valliant Police Department, the Choctaw County Sheriff's Office, the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

On April 8, 2025, Gribnitz pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on October 20, 2024, Gribnitz knowingly possessed a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

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

The Honorable Robert J. Shelby, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the District of Utah, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Ivone Monforte Leal, aka Yvonne Monforte, aka Ivonne Monforte Stefany, age 34, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Wagoner County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.

The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office.

On May 22, 2025, Leal pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on March 26, 2025, Leal, an alien, was found in the United States after having been previously removed twice without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The Honorable Robert J. Shelby, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the District of Utah, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jose Luis Jimenez-Hernandez, a/k/a Jose Luis Jiminez-Hernandez, age 45, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.

The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division.

On September 15, 2025, Jimenez-Hernandez pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on July 24, 2025, Jimenez-Hernandez, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on January 10, 2012, June 14, 2013, and October 25, 2013.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The Honorable Robert J. Shelby, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the District of Utah, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States at sentencing.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Augustin Borja-Gaona, a/k/a Augustine Borja, a/k/a Augustine Bara, a/k/a Agustin Borja, a/k/a Augustin Gaona Borja, a/k/a Austin Borja, a/k/a Austin Gaona Borja, a/k/a Agustin Borja-Gaona, a/k/a Genaro Borja-Reynoso, age 56, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.

The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office.

On August 18, 2025, Borja-Gaona pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on March 19, 2025, Borja-Gaona, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed in 1999, 2002, 2007, and 2012.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The Honorable Robert J. Shelby, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the District of Utah, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Borja-Gaona will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States at sentencing.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Tyrone Noble, age 59, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Okfuskee County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department.

On June 25, 2025, Noble pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on December 2, 2024, law enforcement discovered Noble in possession of a 12-gauge shotgun and 5 rounds of Winchester 12-gauge ammunition.  At the time, Noble had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The Honorable Robert J. Shelby, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the District of Utah, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Noble will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that five defendants in a drug conspiracy investigation entered guilty pleas in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

• On December 15, 2025, JORDAN RACHELLE HERBERT, a/k/a Jordon Rachelle Herbert, age 35, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Drug Conspiracy, punishable by a minimum of 10 years to life in prison, and a $10,000,000 fine.
• On January 20, 2026, WALLACE LORENZO KEMP, age 42, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Drug Conspiracy, punishable by punishable by a minimum of 10 years to life in prison, and a $10,000,000 fine.
• On January 20, 2026, ASHLEY BROOKE ENYART, age 35, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Drug Conspiracy, punishable by punishable by a minimum of 10 years to life in prison, and a $10,000,000 fine.
• On January 22, 2026, WHITNEY JANELLE JONES, age 35, of Carter County, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Drug Conspiracy, punishable by punishable by a minimum of 10 years to life in prison, and a $10,000,000 fine.
• On January 22, 2026, TAYVAUGHN LASHAWN CRUMP, a/k/a Bleu Strreet, age 26, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to a one count Felony Information of Drug Conspiracy, punishable by a minimum of 5 years and up to a maximum of 40 years in prison, and a $5,000,000 fine.

The Indictment alleged that beginning in or about August 2023, and continuing until May 14, 2025, Kemp, Herbert, Enyart, and Jones knowingly and intentionally conspired to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, and that, as further alleged in a Felony Information, Crump participated in the conspiracy to knowingly and intentionally distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl.

To achieve the object of their conspiracy, the defendants:

• acquired and arranged for the transport of fentanyl into the Eastern District of Oklahoma;
• maintained locations and premises in Carter County, Oklahoma, where they divided the fentanyl for distribution;
• used electronic communications for purchase and distribution of fentanyl;
• used automobiles to facilitate the acquisition and distribution of fentanyl;
• sent and received proceeds derived from the sale of fentanyl via peer-to-peer money transfer applications;
• collected, stored, and transported sums of Untied States currency derived from the sale of fentanyl;
• and cultivated customer bases for the common overall goal of buying, selling, and otherwise possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.

The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the pleas and ordered the completion of presentence investigation reports.

A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentences to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Kemp, Herbert, Jones, and Crump will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.  Enyart will remain on bond with pretrial conditions of release pending sentencing.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard J. Lorenz represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Drew Alexander Ragsdale, a/k/a Drew Alexander Ragsdale-Smith, a/k/a Drew Down, a/k/a Skat, age 28, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to two counts of Distribution of Methamphetamine, each punishable by 5 to 40 years in prison and a $5,000,000 fine, and one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, punishable by a minimum of 10 years in prison and a $10,000,000 fine.

The Indictment alleged that on February 4, 2025, and again on February 26, 2025, Ragsdale knowingly and intentionally distributed 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, and that on March 4, 2025, Ragsdale knowingly and intentionally possessed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Muskogee Police Department.

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

A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Ragsdale will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard J. Lorenz and Emily Wittlinger represented the United States.

Traditions Health LLC (Traditions) has agreed to pay $34 million to resolve its civil liability under the False Claims Act for billing medically unnecessary home health claims to Medicare and providing financial benefits to physicians in exchange for referrals. Traditions self-disclosed the conduct at issue to the government.

The settlement resolves allegations that, from 2021 to 2024, Traditions submitted claims to Medicare from its McAlester, Oklahoma, location for home health services that were not medically necessary. It also resolves claims that, between 2019 and 2024, Traditions paid remuneration to physician-medical directors in Oklahoma and Texas who referred Medicare beneficiaries to Traditions for home health services and that this remuneration potentially violated the Anti-Kickback Statute and the Physician Self-Referral Law.

The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits the provision of remuneration to induce referrals of government health care program business. The Physician Self-Referral Law, commonly known as the Stark Law, prohibits physicians from making referrals for the furnishing of certain designated health services, including home health, payable by Medicare to an entity where the physician has a “financial relationship,” unless the arrangement meets the requirements of a statutory or regulatory exception. Federal law prohibits payment by federal health care programs of medical claims that result from arrangements that violate the Anti-Kickback Statute or the Stark Law.

In connection with its self-disclosure, Traditions took a number of significant steps entitling it to credit for cooperating with the government. Following its independent investigation, Traditions provided detailed and thorough written disclosures to the government and cooperated with the government throughout the investigation. Traditions also promptly took remedial actions including removing individuals identified as responsible for the misconduct, improving its compliance program, and providing additional training to its employees.

“Home health care is critical to Medicare patients who are unable to leave their homes for treatment,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brenna E. Jenny of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “As today’s settlement reflects, when health care providers fail to uphold the rules of the Medicare program, they can mitigate the consequences by making timely self-disclosures, cooperating with the government’s investigation, and promptly taking appropriate remedial measures.”

“Billing and receiving payments from Medicare for unnecessary and inappropriate medical care is a practice which cannot and will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Wilson for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “The disclosure and settlement agreed to by Traditions Health LLC in this case demonstrates that early mitigation goes a long way towards addressing fraud and mitigating the loss of taxpayer dollars.”

“Preying on vulnerable patients for financial gain is unacceptable,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Providers who engage in kickbacks and false claims will be held accountable. This resolution reinforces OIG’s commitment to protecting patients, preserving program integrity, and safeguarding taxpayer dollars.”

The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, and HHS-OIG.

The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

Fraud Section Trial Attorney Jonathan Hoerner and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Mitts for the Eastern District of Oklahoma handled this matter.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jorge Alberto Mejia Rodriguez, a/k/a Alberto Mejia, a/k/a Jorge Mejia, age 44, a Mexican national unlawfully present/residing in Bryan County, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than two years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00.

The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

The Indictment alleged that on November 17, 2025, Rodriguez, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on August 23, 2014, and on September 27, 2018.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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

A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Rodriguez will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edith A. Singer and Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Madelyn Simone Johnson, age 22, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Engaging in Monetary Transactions in Property Derived from Specified Unlawful Activity, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment alleged that on May 2, 2025, Johnson, while a bank employee, knowingly engaged in a monetary transaction involving property of a value greater than $10,000, which she embezzled from the bank.

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

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

A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Johnson will remain out on bond with conditions of release pending sentencing.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob R. Parker and Erin Cornell represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jorden James Thierry, age 22, of Boynton, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for one count of Stealing a Firearm from a Federal Licensed Dealer.

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

On June 9, 2025, Thierry pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, in the early hours of April 17, 2025, Thierry broke into the Checotah storefront of a federally licensed firearms dealer and stole two 9mm semi-automatic handguns, leaving behind a trail of blood.  When agents detained Thierry, they observed a deep cut on Thierry’s right hand and recovered one of the stolen firearms from Thierry’s backpack; the second firearm was later recovered from a residence in Checotah.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Cesar Briseno Mauricio, age 26, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Love County, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than two years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00.

The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

The Indictment alleged that on November 17, 2025, Mauricio, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on March 18, 2020.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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.

A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Mauricio will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan E. Soverly and Nicole Paladino represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Chayse Anthony Beard, age 24, of Hugo, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for one count of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm, and 57 months in prison for one count of Possession of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.  The court ordered the terms to be served concurrently.

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

On March 20, 2025, Beard pleaded guilty to the charges.  According to investigators, on July 17, 2024, law enforcement discovered Beard in possession of two short-barreled firearms, neither of which were registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Beard also possessed over 400 visual depictions of prepubescent minors and minors under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct on his cell phone.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Josh Satter and Emily Wittlinger represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Isaac James Looney, age 22, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment alleged that on December 16, 2024, Looney assaulted the victim with a dangerous weapon intending to do bodily harm.

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

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

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.

A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Looney will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lewis M. Reagan and Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Longino Ramirez Ramos, age 51, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Adair County, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than two years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00.

The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

The Indictment alleged that on December 3, 2025, Ramos, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on May 5, 2010, on February 14, 2011, on October 17, 2019, and on February 7, 2020.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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.

A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Ramos will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Rider Marel Santos-Lara, a/k/a Rider Santos-Lara, age 36, a Honduran national unlawfully present in Bryan County, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than two years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00.

The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

The Indictment alleged that on November 17, 2025, Santos-Lara, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on September 30, 2016.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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

A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Santos-Lara will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Claylon Leon Austin, a/k/a Clayton Leon Austin, age 38, of Henryetta, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Child/Use of a Child to Produce a Visual Depiction, punishable by no less than 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment alleged that beginning on March 13, 2025, and continuing until March 14, 2025, Austin enticed a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of creating videos using a device which Austin knew was manufactured outside the state of Oklahoma.

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

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

A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Austin will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Michael Wayne Wasson, a/k/a Pops, age 64, of Henryetta, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of a Felony Information for Distribution of Methamphetamine, punishable by a term of up to 20 years imprisonment and a $1,000,000 fine.

The Information alleged that on or about October 19, 2023, Wasson knowingly and willfully distributed a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs.

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

A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Wasson is remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edith A. Singer and Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Caleb Chainey Hensley, age 26, of Henryetta, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine, punishable by a term of ten years to life in prison and a $10,000,000 fine.

The Indictment alleged that on May 13, 2024, Hensley knowingly and intentionally distributed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.

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

A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Hensley will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edith A. Singer and Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Larry Douglas Martin, age 54, of McAlester, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment charged Martin with possessing a semi-automatic rifle and a semi-automatic pistol after having previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.

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

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

A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Martin will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia Staubus represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jory Lynn Poafpybitty, a/k/a Jory Len Poafpybitty, age 39, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment charged Poafpybitty with knowingly possessing 25 rounds of .38spl ammunition and 50 rounds of 9mm ammunition on March 27, 2025, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

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

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

A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Poafpybitty will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Steven Duane Stone, age 48, of Seminole, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country.

The Indictment alleged that on April 2, 2025, Stone assaulted the victim, resulting in serious bodily injury.

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

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

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

A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Stone remains on bond with conditions of release pending sentencing.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that DaQurius Razjoune Johnson, a/k/a Daquarius Razjoune Johnson, age 33, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 29 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

On June 5, 2025, Johnson pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on July 24, 2024, law enforcement dispatched to a Muskogee County residence discovered Johnson in possession of 35 rounds of ammunition.   At the time of the incident, Johnson had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob R. Parker and Edith A. Singer represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kendall James Hopper, age 62, of Smithville, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police, and the LeFlore County Sheriff’s Office.

On June 9, 2025, Hopper pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on January 2, 2024, law enforcement dispatched to a Smithville, Oklahoma residence discovered Hopper in possession of one lever-action .30-.30 caliber rifle.  At the time of the incident, Hopper had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

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

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Pedro Ramirez Covarrubias, age 53, a Mexican national, unlawfully residing in Adair County, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than twenty years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00.

The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division.

The Indictment alleged that on December 3, 2025, Covarrubias, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed from the United States on October 14, 2021.  Covarrubias was convicted of First-Degree Murder on May 6, 2015, in Harris County, Texas.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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

A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Covarrubias will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Joshua Devn Page, age 30, of Henryetta, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Henryetta Police Department, and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department.

On June 5, 2025, Page pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on December 18, 2024, Page attempted to secure a personal loan at an Okmulgee pawn shop using two firearms as collateral.  At the time of the exchange, Page had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jessica Marie Campbell, age 44, of Spiro, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the LeFlore County Sheriff’s Office.

On May 8, 2025, Campbell pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on June 7, 2023, Campbell sold a baggie containing approximately 117 grams of a crystalline substance which later tested positive for methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan W. Howanitz and Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Robby Dewayne Tiger, age 41, of Seminole County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 51 months in prison for one count of Arson in Indian Country.

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

On June 4, 2025, Tiger pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on December 7, 2024, Tiger purposefully lit a fire in a Seminole residence, lit a second fire when the first fire burned out, then exited the residence to watch it burn.  Law enforcement arriving on the scene discovered the house engulfed in flames and Tiger watching from nearby with a lighter in his pocket.

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

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Johnny Lee Vann, age 48, was sentenced to 83 months in prison for one count of Attempted Arson in Indian Country.

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

On July 1, 2025, Vann pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on January 4, 2025, Vann positioned a haybale beneath a neighbor’s trailer and ignited the bale.  One of the residents smelled smoke, chased Vann away, and removed and extinguished the bale.

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

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Ersy Gregorio Umanzor Lopez, a/k/a Ersy Gregorio Umanzor, a/k/a Ersy G. Umanzor, age 33, a Honduran national unlawfully present in Bryan County, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than two years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00.

The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

The Indictment alleged that on November 17, 2025, Lopez, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on October 20, 2017, on September 8, 2017, and on January 12, 2018.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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.

A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Lopez will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kevin Carter Kieckhefer, age 36, of Tupelo, Oklahoma, was sentenced to46 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Coal County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

On June 30, 2025, Kieckhefer pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on July 19, 2023, deputies discovered Kieckhefer knowingly in possession of 25 rounds of .223 ammunition after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Robert Vernon Hardage, Jr., age 47, of Kenefic, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 37 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Bryan County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

On July 1, 2025, Hardage pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on March 11, 2024, law enforcement discovered Hardage knowingly in possession of one round of 12-gauge ammunition and 17 rounds of .300 Blackout caliber ammunition after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.  Hardage also possessed an unregistered 12-gauge, break open shotgun.

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

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jerry Wayne Shomo, a/k/a Jerry Wayne Shomo, Jr., a/k/a Jerry Wayne Shomo, Junior, age 47, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 46 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm.

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

On May 5, 2025, Shomo pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on December 9, 2024, a trooper conducting a routine traffic stop pulled Shomo over in Broken Bow.  Shomo ran from his vehicle, was apprehended following a short foot chase, and confessed to having an AR-15 in the vehicle.  At the time of the traffic stop, Shomo had been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of more than one year in prison.

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

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia Staubus represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Benjamin Vasquez-Hernandez, a/k/a Benjamin Vasquez, a/k/a Benjamin Santiago Vasquez, age 53, a Honduran national unlawfully present in Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served in prison for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.

The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division.

On October 1, 2025, Vasquez-Hernandez pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on July 31, 2025, Vasquez-Hernandez, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on September 13, 2019.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Cornell and Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Alain Sanchez-Lopez, a/k/a Enrique Sanchez-Malpicha, a/k/a Jesus Rico-Lopez, a/k/a Jesus Perez-Rico, a/k/a Alain De Jesus Sanchez-Lopez, age 40, a Mexican national unlawfully present/residing in Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served in prison for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.

The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office.

On October 6, 2025, Sanchez-Lopez pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on June 15, 2025, Sanchez-Lopez, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on November 6, 2015, on February 14, 2016, on March 29, 2016, and on April 13, 2016.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Cornell and Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Luis Cuellar-Martinez, a/k/a Luis Cueller, a/k/a Luis Martinez, a/k/a Luis Martinez Cueller, age 32, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Poteau, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served in prison for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.

The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

On September 10, 2025, Cuellar-Martinez pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on July 31, 2025, Cuellar-Martinez, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on June 19, 2014.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Cornell and Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Celso Martinez-Mata, a/k/a Celso Mata Martinez, a/k/a Celso Martinez, age 60, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Sequoyah County, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than two years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00.

The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

The Indictment alleged that on October 29, 2025, Martinez-Mata, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on July 2, 2002.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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

A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Martinez-Mata will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Caleb Colton Beauvais, age 31, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number, punishable by a term of up to 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.

The Indictment alleged that on May 9, 2025, Beauvais knowingly and unlawfully possessed a revolver from which the manufacturer’s serial number had been removed, obliterated, or altered, and Beauvais knew that the serial number had been removed, obliterated, or altered.

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

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

A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Beauvais will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Marlina Dawn Hardbarger, age 49, of Sallisaw, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment alleged that on September 10, 2025, having previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and knowing of such conviction, knowingly possessed one .223-5.56mm caliber semi-automatic rifle.

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

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

A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Hardbarger will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia Staubus represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Samuel James King, age 25, of Indianola, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana, punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, and one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment alleged that on May 12, 2025, King knowingly and intentionally possessed less than fifty kilograms of marijuana with intent to distribute it.

The Indictment also alleged that on May 12, 2025, having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and knowing of such conviction, King knowingly possessed a rifle, a semi-automatic pistol, two revolvers, and multiple rounds of assorted ammunition.

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

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

A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

King will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Timothy Jacob Hollan, age 73, of Miller, Missouri, was arrested in Kansas City, Kansas, yesterday on a federal arrest warrant. The warrant arose from a grand jury indictment charging Hollan with one Count of Murder in Indian Country and one count of Causing the Death of Another Person in the Course of a Violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c).  Both charges are punishable by death or a term of up to life in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment alleges that on a date uncertain to the grand jury, in or about September 1999, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Indian country, Hollan, a non-Indian, willfully, deliberately, maliciously, and with premeditation and malice aforethought, unlawfully killed the victim, an Indian.

The Indictment further alleges that on that date, Hollan did knowingly use, carry, brandish, and discharge a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, that is Murder in Indian Country, and in the course of this violation caused the death of the victim through the use of a firearm.

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

The charges arose from investigations by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit, the Adair County Sheriff’s Department, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

In November 2023, deputies recovered the victim’s body from an abandoned well in rural Adair County.  DNA analysis confirmed the victim’s identity earlier this year.

“The Missing and Murdered Unit was established by President Trump during his first term to address the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous persons, ensuring that unresolved cases receive renewed attention and investigative resources,” said Billy Kirkland, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs at the Department of the Interior.  “This joint investigation exemplifies the BIA Missing and Murdered Unit's efforts to bring justice, accountability, and closure to families impacted by violence in Indian Country.  By working closely with tribal communities, federal law enforcement, and local partners, we are honoring victims and strengthening public safety.”

A grand jury Indictment does not constitute evidence of guilt.  A grand jury Indictment is a method of bringing formal charges against the defendant.  All defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and may not be found guilty unless evidence establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Lacey Marie Robinson, age 33, of Autry, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment alleged that on August 15, 2025, having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and knowing of such conviction, Robinson knowingly possessed two rounds of .22 caliber ammunition and one .22 caliber lead bullet.

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

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

A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Robinson will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Brandon Leal Castro, age 34, of Mexico, was sentenced to 97 months in prison for one count of Receipt of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. Castro will also be required to register pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the District 16 Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On July 30, 2025, Castro pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on November 14, 2024, Castro knowingly received a visual depiction of a prepubescent minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct through the internet.

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

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Rodolfo Guardado Palma, a/k/a Rodolfo Guardado-Palma, a/k/a Rodolfo Guardado, age 46, a Salvadoran national unlawfully present in Bryan County, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than two years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00.

The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

The Indictment alleged that on November 17, 2025, Guardado Palma, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on September 12, 2019, and December 12, 2019.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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

A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Guardado Palma will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jacob Layton Earley, age 22, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, was sentenced to twenty-eight months in prison for one count of Possession of Firearm and Ammunition by Prohibited Person.

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

On March 18, 2025, Earley pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on December 21, 2022, law enforcement executing a search warrant at Earley’s home discovered a 5.56X45mm Smith and Wesson semi-automatic rifle with a magazine loaded with 28 rounds of .223 REM caliber ammunition and 100 rounds of .223 REM caliber ammunition in Earley’s bedroom.  At the time of the search, Earley had notice that he was subject to a protection order from the Chickasaw Nation District Court prohibiting him from owning, possessing, buying, or attempting to obtain any gun or firearm.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.