Northern District of Oklahoma
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Tulsa Man Sentenced to 18 Years for MurderRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. - A homeless man from Tulsa was sentenced Tuesday, Aug. 1 to 18 years in federal prison for second degree murder in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Terry Danell Limose, 38, to 18 years in the United States Bureau of Prisons for second degree murder in Indian Country, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
“The victim in this case was stalked, brutally assaulted and strangled to death,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Crimes occurring within the homeless community often have additional investigative challenges. I want to thank our law enforcement partners for their diligent work on this case.”
According to court documents, on Nov. 13, 2021, Limose, stalked and chased the victim, a Muscogee Nation citizen, who was also homeless. While following the victim, Limose threw rocks and chunks of pavement striking the victim. Later Limose started a physical altercation, forced the victim to the ground, and then beat and strangled him to death.
Limose has been and will remain in custody of the United States Marshal pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The Tulsa Police Department and FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Jolly prosecuted the case.
Catoosa Man Gets 25 years for Shaking 3-Month-Old SonRead the Press Release
TULSA Okla. – A Catoosa man, responsible for physically abusing his 3-month-old son was sentenced today in Federal Court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Jacob Thomas Shell, 29, to 300 months in federal prison, for child abuse in Indian Country, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Judge Frizzell further ordered Shell to pay more than $6,000 in restitution.
“Jacob Shell forever changed the daily life and future of his three-month old baby,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Child abuse is never acceptable, and with the support of our local law enforcement partners will be aggressively prosecuted. This case should serve as a reminder that parents who feel overwhelmed should seek help.”
According to court documents, On February 12, 2020, Shell, became frustrated after being awakened by the crying of his 3-month-old son. He violently and forcibly shook and threw the child until he stopped crying and was limp. The victim, a citizen of the Choctaw Nation, sustained lifelong injuries and is now physically, developmentally, and cognitively delayed. The child suffered severe visual impairment, forcing him to attend the school for the blind. The child also sustained severe nerve damage, which impacted the child’s physical mobility and use of his right arm. The victim is still undergoing treatment and was in the hospital for a neurosurgical procedure the day Shell was sentenced.
The adoptive parents victim impact statement stated, “Already, by the age of three, our son has spent more time fighting for his life than most people ever will.” They also noted his twin brother is taking on the role of an older brother. Instead of having a same age playmate, he helps and cares for his twin.
The Rogers County Sheriff’s Office and FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Ihler prosecuted the case.
Predator Sentenced to More Than 35 Years for Coercion and Enticement of a ChildRead the Press Release
TULSA Okla. – A Sand Springs man was sentenced July 27 to more than 35 years in prison for coercion and enticement of a child and one count of abusive sexual contact in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Jeremy Nicholas Botonis, 45, was convicted on Friday, May 6, 2022, by a federal jury following two hours of deliberation.
U.S. District Judge Stephen Murphy has now sentenced Botonis, to 35 years and four months for coercion and enticement of a child and 24 months for abusive sexual contact in Indian Country. Sentences are to run concurrently followed by 7 years of supervised release.
“Devious individuals like Botonis use social media to gain access, groom their victims and violate their trust,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The victim in this case displayed incredible strength as he testified and is to be commended along with our law enforcement partners and federal prosecutors Chris Nassar and Stephanie Ihler for ensuring Botonis was held accountable for his predatory crimes.”
“The appalling conduct perpetrated by this defendant towards a minor is not only criminal, but inexcusable,” said Robert Melton, HSI Dallas Assistant Special Agent in Charge Oklahoma and Texas Panhandle Division. “We hope that his lengthy prison sentence serves as a reminder to predators everywhere that HSI and our law enforcement partners will never relent in prosecuting those who choose to exploit children.”
On Aug. 24, 2019, while in the woods, Botonis placed his hand inappropriately on the clothed minor victim’s thigh and what the victim described as his “private area.” He then attempted to kiss the victim. When the child rejected his advances and pulled away, Botonis became upset and concerned the child might reveal what had occurred to his parents. He demanded the victim delete prior messages between the two.
After the incident, Botonis continued to communicate with the victim using a Facebook page titled “Wolf Page.” Eventually, the victim’s father discovered the sexually explicit messages and the victim disclosed to his father the page belonged to Botonis and that Botonis had attempted to kiss him in the woods during an outing. The child’s parents reported the crime to authorities. During the investigation, the child further disclosed to law enforcement that Botonis had also touched him inappropriately the day of the incident.
Federal agents were able to extract messages from the victim’s cell phone including 5,000 messages where the defendant talked about the child’s looks, professed his “love” for the victim, made sexual innuendos, described sex acts. Botonis further suggested the two should engage in the “furry lifestyle,” which for some is a sexual fetish that involves dressing in animal costumes and performing sex acts. At one point, the victim indicated to the defendant that he was uncomfortable and did not want to receive any further sexual messages.
At trial, federal prosecutors contended that at the time of the crime, Botonis was a 41-year-old man obsessed with a vulnerable 13-year-old child, bombarding the victim with messages nearly every day and even guilt tripping the victim when he did not respond in kind. Prosecutors argued that while Botonis tried to portray himself as non-threatening and trustworthy, he was a predator hiding in the shadows, waiting for a vulnerable victim and the right moment to engage.
The case was initially charged in Mayes County District Court but was dismissed in April 2021 due to lack of jurisdiction based on the Supreme Court’s decision in McGirt v Oklahoma. The victim is a Cherokee citizen. The U.S. Attorney’s Office then charged the case in federal court in May 2021.
Botonis has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Mayes County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Nassar and Stephanie Ihler prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Federal Grand Jury B Indictments Announced- July 2023Read the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the July 2023 Federal Grand Jury B.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Kelsey Dawn Lipp. First Degree Murder in Indian Country; Robbery in Indian Country; and Kidnapping in Indian Country. Kelsey Dawn Lipp, 28, is a Cherokee citizen, and is charged for allegedly arranging a robbery and kidnapping that resulted in the victim’s death. Tulsa Police Department and the FBI are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David A. Nasar and Niko Boulieris are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-243
Jared Kyle Childers. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Kidnapping in Indian Country; and Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Jared Kyle Childers, 20, a Cherokee citizen of Salina, is charged after allegedly brandishing a weapon while assaulting and kidnapping the victim with intent to do bodily harm. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is the investigating agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shakema Onias is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-245
Leo Steban Chumwalooky. Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country; and Incest in Indian Country. Leo Steban Chumwalooky, 20, and a Cherokee citizen is charged after he allegedly engaged in and attempted to engage in sexual acts with a child between 12 and 16 years of age. Cherokee Nation Marshal Service and the FBI are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Dunn is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-246
Lee Finch Jr. Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct. Lee Finch Jr. is charged with travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct in a superseding indictment. A previous indictment on April 18, charged Finch with coercion and enticement of a minor. The Tulsa Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Dunn is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-148
Hayden Barclay Greene. Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country; Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country; and Child Neglect in Indian Country. Hayden Barclay Greene, 45, is a member of the Choctaw Nation. Greene allegedly assaulted and strangled his intimate partner resulting in serious bodily harm in the presence of a minor. The Creek County Sheriff’s Office, Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police, and the FBI are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey Todd is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-247
Zulma Martinez. Possession of Methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Zulma Martinez, 46, a Mexican national is charged for allegedly possessing meth with the intent to distribute. The Tulsa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Bailey is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-248
Rolland James Miles. Carjacking. Rolland James Miles, 20, a Muscogee Creek Nation citizen is charged with carjacking after allegedly attempting to take a motor vehicle by force, violence, intimidation, and with intent to cause death and serious bodily harm. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is the investigating agency. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Cyran and Dennis Fries are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-249
Jose Becerra-Ruiz. Distribution of Meth. Jose Becerra-Ruiz, 30, of Claremore, is charged for allegedly distributing meth. The Drug Enforcement Administration is the investigating agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Bailey is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-244
Sexual Predator Gets LifeRead the Press Release
TULSA Okla. – A Tulsa man was sentenced Thursday to life in prison for multiple crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
A federal jury convicted Elga Eugene Harper, 41, a Choctaw Nation citizen on Feb. 9, for kidnapping in Indian Country; aggravated sexual abuse by force and threat in Indian Country; assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country; and assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country.
U.S. District Judge Stephen J. Murphy, III, who presided over the trial and sentencing, noted that the case was easily the most serious he had seen. He sentenced Harper to a total of life in prison on July 27.
“Elga Harper violently beat and sexually assaulted an elderly woman in her home for four hours,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The victim bravely faced her attacker and testified; and through her perseverance, strength and courage, justice was served in this case.”
“The victim in this case bravely took the witness stand to recount the tremendous suffering she endured at the hands of Elga Harper,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “If not for her compelling testimony, Harper may not have received the two life sentences he indisputably deserves. The citizens of Oklahoma can rest assured he will never again be able to harm an innocent person.”
Harper had previously performed work at the victim’s home, and the two had numerous conversations about philosophy and her work in counseling. The woman eventually paid Harper in full and told him she no longer needed his assistance.
On May 4, 2022, several months after their last meeting, Harper returned unexpectedly to the victim’s home. After a brief conversation, he asked to use the bathroom. When Harper did not exit the bathroom, the victim walked toward the back of the home and found Harper standing naked in her room. Harper immediately attacked her.
During the next four hours, Harper violently assaulted the victim both physically and sexually. She pleaded for him to call 911, but he refused. He also ransacked her home, took her car keys, and told her to “shut up” when she prayed aloud. She called 911 as soon as he fled, reporting the assault and that Harper was responsible.
When officers arrived at the scene, they found the victim gravely injured, with extensive injuries to her face, head, neck, arms, hands, and legs.
Harper was located and taken into custody on May 10, 2022.
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department Special Victims Unit conducted the investigation with extensive support from other units in the Tulsa Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chantelle D. Dial and Melody N. Nelson prosecuted the case.
30 Years for Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
TULSA Okla. – A Broken Arrow man was sentenced to 30 years in prison for Coercion and Enticement of a Minor in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Christopher Dean Dana, 37, pleaded guilty Monday, October 18, 2021.
U.S. Chief District Judge John F Heil III has now ordered Dana to serve 30 years in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard from the victim who explained how she has trouble sleeping at night because that is when it all hits her. “I’m scared of what everyone is going to think of me,” she said, and “I’m scared to hang out with guy friends because I don’t know what they’re capable of.”
“Christopher Dana betrayed the trust of this young victim and has caused lasting emotional harm,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “My office and our law enforcement partners will diligently prosecute those that prey upon the children in our communities.”
At the time of his plea, Dana, a non-Indian, admitted that when the victim was between seven and 12 years of age, he encouraged her to engage in sexual activity and sexually abused her. When she resisted his advances, Dana would pressure the victim by offering her money.
The victim is a citizen of the Choctaw Nation, and the crimes occurred within the boundaries of the Muscogee Nation reservation.
Dana has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The Broken Arrow Police Department and FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stacey Todd and Gina Gilmore prosecuted the case.
Former Oklahoma Private Prisoner Transport Officer Sentenced for Sexually Assaulting Pretrial DetaineeRead the Press Release
A former private prisoner transport officer was sentenced in the Northern District of Oklahoma to 15 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for violating a male pretrial detainee’s civil rights by sexually assaulting him.
According to the plea agreement, at the time of the offense, Dewayne Lewis Dudley, 56, worked as a private prisoner transport officer for Blue Raven Services. As a private prisoner transport officer, Dudley performed the government function of picking up individuals who were arrested on out-of-state warrants and transporting those individuals back to the jurisdictions that issued the warrants. On Aug. 26, 2021, Dudley picked up the victim, a male pretrial detainee, from a jail in Booneville, Indiana, to transport him to a jail in Los Lunas, New Mexico.
On Aug. 27, 2021, before arriving in New Mexico, Dudley stopped the transport vehicle at a Holiday Inn Express, located in Marshfield, Missouri, where he rented a room. Dudley brought the handcuffed victim into the hotel room and told him to shower. After the victim showered, Dudley pointed a gun at the victim and told him to undress. Dudley then proceeded to grope the victim’s genitals. When the victim’s penis did not become erect, Dudley handcuffed himself to the victim, before going to sleep. Several hours later, Dudley resumed transporting the victim, before stopping the transport van at Dudley’s apartment, located in Claremore, Oklahoma. Against the victim’s protests, Dudley brought the handcuffed victim inside his apartment. While inside his apartment, Dudley again groped the victim’s genitals, causing the victim bodily injury. The victim said, “No!” and was able to break free and run outside of Dudley’s apartment. As part of the plea agreement, Dudley admitted that the victim did not consent to any of the sexual conduct, that there was no legitimate law enforcement purpose for it and that the sexual misconduct resulted in bodily injury to victim and included kidnapping.
“The defendant kidnapped and sexually assaulted a man entrusted to his care and custody, exploiting his authority and depriving this victim of his constitutional right to bodily integrity,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This sentence sends a clear message that the Justice Department is committed to protecting victims of sexual violence carried out at the hands of law enforcement officials. The privatization of positions in law enforcement does not affect our determination to hold these individuals accountable when they violate our federal civil rights laws.”
“Dudley had a legal obligation to provide safe transport to the prisoner in his custody instead he violated him and his rights,” said U.S. Attorney Clinton J. Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma. “Our office is committed to protecting the judicial process and that includes protecting the rights of the accused.”
“The American public has an absolute right to trust that law enforcement officials will protect them, regardless of their class, status or creed. Dewayne Dudley violated that trust when he kidnapped and sexually assaulted a detainee in his care,” said Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. “Safeguarding the civil rights that every American is entitled to is fundamental to the FBI’s mission. We will continue to work tirelessly alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure predators like Dudley are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office investigated this case.
Trial Attorney Laura Gilson of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Clay Compton for the Northern District of Oklahoma prosecuted this case.
Delaware County Cherokee Citizen Convicted of MurderRead the Press Release
TULSA Okla. – A federal jury convicted James William Buzzard, 50, a Cherokee citizen and Delaware county resident of first-degree murder in Indian Country; assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm; and discharge of a firearm during the commission of a federal crime of violence. The crime occurred within the Cherokee Nation reservation.
“Today the jury convicted the last of three defendants for a brutal murder in rural Indian Country,” said U.S. Attorney Clinton Johnson. “This case follows a prolonged and meticulous investigation by our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners. Violent crime within the Northern District of Oklahoma will be thoroughly investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on Aug. 1, 2019, the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting near Jay, Okla. Deputies discovered Jerry Tapp deceased in his front yard. It appeared that Tapp sustained multiple gunshot wounds and that a second victim had a gunshot wound to her arm. According to court testimony, the surviving victim told investigators that she heard a noise outside the home early that morning. When she turned on the light and opened the door, she heard gunfire and felt a sudden pain in her wrist. The victim noticed a four-door car before she shut and locked the front door, crawled to another room, and called 911. While investigating the crime, OSBI agents located and seized multiple shell casings.
Dakota Buzzard, son of James Buzzard, was located by deputies from the McDonald County Sheriff’s Office driving a white 4-door Altima matching the surviving victim’s description. OSBI agents later found four spent shell casings inside the vehicle. Dakota provided the location of the rifle used, as well as additional bullets. During the investigation, the shell casings found at the scene of the crime were identified as having been fired by the same rifle.
On Aug. 6, 2019, investigators obtained Facebook records of Cody Buzzard, another son of James Buzzard. The day prior to the shooting, Cody made Facebook inquiries about getting a vehicle and firearm. He indicated that he “had business to tend to,” and he was going to “take care of a problem.”
During an interview with authorities, Dakota Buzzard stated that he, Cody, and James Buzzard drove toward Tapp’s residence, parked up the road from the home, and waited for him to return from work. James Buzzard allegedly told his sons to retrieve the rifle from the trunk of the car. Dakota stated that once Tapp drove by they followed him to his home where Tapp was shot and killed. Prosecutors proved the Buzzards aided and abetted one another to shoot and kill Tapp and then shoot his girlfriend.
The two brothers in this case, both Cherokee citizens from Grove, entered earlier pleas. Cody Dwayne Buzzard, 29, pled guilty to second degree murder in Indian Country; and brandishing and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Dakota Chase Buzzard, 22, pled to conspiracy to carry, use, brandish, and discharge a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
The FBI, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Reagan Reininger, Eric Johnston, and Elizabeth Dick prosecuted the case.
Nigerian National Extradited from South Africa for Cyber Fraud Scheme Targeting Tulsa CompanyRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Sunday Daniel Ganyo, 37, a Nigerian national, made his initial appearance in federal court Friday, after being extradited from South Africa pursuant to a 2020 federal criminal complaint alleging his involvement in a cyber fraud scheme targeting companies in Tulsa and North Carolina. Ganyo faces charges for conspiracy; transportation of stolen goods; means of identification fraud; trafficking in false means of identification; identity theft conspiracy and attempt; aggravated identity theft; mail fraud; wire fraud; and attempt and conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
“Identity theft and computer fraud have a lasting impact on the financial health of the victims and society,” said U.S. Attorney Clinton Johnson. “We are committed to bringing cyber criminals that target Oklahoma companies to justice, even when they hide behind stolen identities across the world and operate in the shadows of cyberspace.”
“The FBI has a long tradition of protecting American companies from these types of schemes and bringing those responsible to justice, no matter where they are located,” said FBI, Oklahoma City, Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “I’m grateful for the dedicated partnership of the South African authorities to find and arrest Mr. Ganyo, so that he may face charges here in Oklahoma.”
According to court documents, Ganyo is alleged to have sent a computer services company in Tulsa a spoofed email using a fraudulently acquired identity and arranged for the purchase of approximately $400,000 worth of Microsoft Surface Pro Tablets. The fraudulent email was successful, and an order was processed and shipped to a company in Raleigh, North Carolina. Ganyo is alleged to have sent a second spoofed email to the North Carolina company, impersonating the Tulsa company, claiming the order was in error and that someone would retrieve the shipment. The shipment was then retrieved from the North Carolina company, repackaged, and prepared for shipment to South Africa by an unknown coconspirator. However, the FBI was able to intercept the shipment in Memphis, Tennessee, and replace the contents with dummy goods and a tracking device. A controlled delivery was then executed in Johannesburg, South Africa and the defendant was arrested by partners with the South African Police Service. Investigation continues into Ganyo’s possible involvement in similar cyber fraud schemes in other parts of the country.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in South Africa to secure the arrest and extradition of Ganyo. The FBI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Nassar and Thomas Buscemi are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Members of the public are reminded to be extremely cautious while conducting business on the internet. Check sender emails and URL addresses for irregularities. Use a full-service internet security site that protects your information. Use strong passwords by incorporating at least 10 letters, numbers, and symbols. Keep your software updated because criminals exploit known software flaws. Manage your social media settings and be careful what you share. For instance, if you share your pets name or reveal where you and your spouse met, you might expose the answers to two common security questions. Secure your home network and public networks by using a virtual private network (VPN). Finally, don’t provide personal information to unsolicited individuals or messages. Most business won’t reach out and ask for personal information by phone or email. If they do, tell them you will call them back. Then call the main number to inquire about the request. If you believe you have been a victim of fraud report it to your local police.
Federal Grand Jury A Indictments Announced- July 2023Read the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the June 2023 Federal Grand Jury A.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Jeffrey Wade Anderson Jr. First Degree Murder in Indian Country. Jeffrey Wade Anderson Jr., 34, is charged with murder after he turned himself in for allegedly stabbing the victim, on or about June 27, 2023, in the 4100 block of Riverside Dr. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Dunn is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-224
Byron Cordell Thomas. Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, and Coercion; Transporting an Individual for Prostitution; Coercion and Enticement to Engage in Prostitution; Tampering by Corrupt Persuasion; and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Byron Cordell Thomas, 36, is charged with four counts of transporting an individual for prostitution and three counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion. He is further charged with two counts each of coercion and enticement to engage in prostitution, and tampering by corrupt persuasion, with an additional charge for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Thomas allegedly engaged in activities to recruit, entice, control and transport women for the purpose of prostitution for his financial benefit. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigating Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Elmore is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-041
Cesar David Lopez; Juan Antonio Duran; Jose Nicolas Flores. Firearms Trafficking; False Statement to a Firearms Dealer; Straw Purchasing a Firearm; Smuggling Firearms from the United States; and Smuggling Goods from the United States. Cesar David Lopez, 27, Juan Antonio Duran, 27, and Jose Nicolas Flores, 30, are charged with firearms trafficking, making a false statement to a firearms dealer, straw purchasing a firearm, smuggling firearms from the United States and smuggling goods from the United States for allegedly purchasing and trafficking multiple .50 caliber rifles and rifle magazines for the Sinaloa Cartel. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is the investigating agency. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Brasher and Kenneth Elmore are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-196
Jacob Alan Gonzales. First Degree Burglary in Indian Country. Jacob Alan Gonzales, 26, a Cherokee citizen, is charged with first degree burglary in Indian Country after allegedly breaking and entering through a window of an occupied dwelling. The Tulsa Police Department and the FBI are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-227
Torrance Lamont Williams. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of an Unregistered Rifle Having a Barrel of Less Than 16 Inches in Length. Torrance Lamont Williams, 29, is charged as a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and possession of an unregistered rifle. A search warrant executed at the residence of Williams revealed a multi-caliber short-barrel rifle, ammunition and two loaded magazines. The Tulsa Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-230
Efrain Dominguez-Romero. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien; Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm; Fraud and Misuse of Visas, Permits, and Other Documents. Efrain Dominguez-Romero, 55, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on or about Dec. 18, 2008, at or near Del Rio, Texas. He is further charged as an alien unlawfully in the United States in possession of a firearm, and fraud and misuse of visas, permits and other documents. At the time of his arrest his was in possession of a firearm, and a fraudulent permanent residence card depicting a false identity. Delaware County Sheriff’s Office and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-226
Jerry Dee Keys Jr.; Cristi Lea Keys. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; and Drug Conspiracy. Jerry Dee Keys Jr., a 60-year-old Cherokee citizen, and Cristi Lea Keys, 59, are both charged as a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. They are further charged with possession of meth with intent to distribute; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; maintaining a drug-involved premises; and drug conspiracy. The Tulsa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Rubens is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-228
Lonnie Ray Stark. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Carrying and Using a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime. Lonnie Ray Stark, 54, is charged with two counts as a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. He is further charged with possession of meth with intent to distribute; and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. The Tulsa Police Department, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shakema Onias is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-237
Luis Ortiz-Rodriguez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien; Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by an Alien Illegally in the United States. Luis Ortiz-Rodriguez, 35, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been deported on or about Sept. 17, 2012. He was found in the United States after being arrested by Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police Department on unrelated charges. He is further charged with possession of a firearm and ammunition by an alien illegally in the United States. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations are the investigating agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Brasher is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-198
Joel Palacios-Castorena. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Joel Palacios-Castorena, 39, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States. He was found in the United States after being arrested by Rogers County Sheriff’s Office on unrelated charges. He had been previously deported and removed on or about June 22, 2019, at or near Nogales, Arizona. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Brasher is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-229
Bernardo Alberto Diaz-Perez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Bernardo Alberto Diaz-Perez, 36, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after being arrested by the Sand Springs Police Department on unrelated charges. He had been previously removed on or about March 17, 2010, at or near Nogales, Arizona. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Raley is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-225
Arizona Resident Sentenced for Fentanyl Distribution in TulsaRead the Press Release
Tulsa, Okla. – An Arizona resident was sentenced to 20 years and 8 months in prison for possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute; possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Jack Zouhary sentenced Hatcher Raymond Day, 27, of Phoenix, Arizona to 188 months imprisonment for possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute and for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and 60 months for possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Zouhary further ordered the sentences to run consecutively followed by 5 years of supervised release.
“Hatcher came to Tulsa from Arizona for the express purpose of flooding our area with fentanyl. We are committed to bringing down operations that peddle drugs and endanger our community,” said U.S. Attorney Clinton Johnson. “I want to thank the Tulsa Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives for working together to bring this case for prosecution.”
According to court documents, in September 2022, an officer with the Tulsa Police Department’s Human Trafficking and Vice Unit, received a tip that Day was selling fentanyl pills from a Tulsa Airbnb rental property.
Officers were able to establish Day was the individual who rented the property through Airbnb and Day was present when a search warrant was executed on Sept. 19, 2022. During the search, they discovered more than 8,000 fentanyl pills weighing 888 grams, five firearms, and numerous rounds of ammunition. Day was a convicted felon and, therefore, prohibited from possessing firearms. Officers further discovered four of the five firearms were stolen when they checked the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database.
The Tulsa Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Nathan Michel and Kenneth Elmore prosecuted the case.
Dentist Agrees to Pay $150,000 in Penalties for Alleged Controlled Substances ViolationsRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A 49-year-old Tulsa Dentist has agreed to a settlement following an investigation and allegations her practice violated the Controlled Substance Act.
Jennifer Burkitt DDS will pay $150,000 in penalties.
During an inspection of Burkitt’s dental practice, authorities discovered multiple violations that occurred Nov. 5, 2020, through June 9, 2022. Violations included failure to maintain effective controls against diversion of controlled substances, practicing dentistry in an unsafe or unsanitary manner, failing to maintain complete and accurate records of controlled substances, failing to retain proper forms and failure to maintain proper inventory. The investigation also discovered gross negligence by administering unsafe doses of legend drug to children.
“The CSA was enacted to protect the health and safety of the public,” said United States Attorney Clinton Johnson. “Our office is committed to holding health care providers accountable when they violate the law and fail to uphold their duties as gatekeepers to controlled substances.”
The government’s pursuit of this matter illustrates its emphasis on combating the diversion of controlled substances. Record keeping and other regulations applicable to Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registrants, including dentists, are the tools by which the DEA deters drug diversion.
The DEA conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marianne Hardcastle prosecuted the case.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
Claremore Man Sentenced for Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
Tulsa, Okla. – A Cherokee citizen from Claremore was sentenced for aggravated sexual abuse of a minor under 12 in Indian Country and sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Raymond Dale Dudley, 61, was sentenced July 6 2023, by U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell to 40 years for count one, aggravated sexual abuse of a minor under 12 in Indian Country, and 15 years for count two, sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country. Frizzell further ordered the sentences to run concurrently followed by supervised release, and fined Dudley $50,000.
“The defendant repeatedly abused his own daughter and coerced her into lying about it to avoid prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Clinton Johnson. “The court made it clear that the abuse, betrayal, and blame shifting inflicted on the victim warranted a lengthy sentence.”
According to his plea agreement, Dudley admitted that he sexually abused the victim between 2009 and 2013. He further admitted that the abuse started when she was approximately nine years old and lasted until she was 13 years old.
In a court filing, the prosecutor elaborated that in 2013, the victim’s older sister reported that she had been sexually abused by Dudley. At that time, Dudley promised the younger victim that he would stop abusing her if she hid the sexual abuse from child protective services workers when they investigated the older sister’s abuse. The younger victim complied, denying any abuse when she was interviewed at the home in 2013. The Oklahoma Department of Human Services closed the investigation. In 2015, the older sister again disclosed that Dudley abused her, but the Oklahoma Department of Human Services closed the referral, citing the 2013 case closure.
In 2021, the younger victim, now an adult, spoke about the abuse with an individual she trusted. Soon after, the victim reported the crimes to the Claremore Police Department. The younger victim disclosed Dudley repeatedly abused her, and it started when she was nine years old. Investigators also spoke to the older victim who reported being abused by Dudley.
The FBI and Claremore Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chantelle D. Dial and Valeria G. Luster prosecuted the case.
The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
United States Settles False Claims Allegations Against Evergreen Hospice, LLC for $48,830Read the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – United States Attorney Clinton J. Johnson announces that Evergreen Hospice, LLC (Evergreen), a hospice company located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, has agreed to pay $48,830.70 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly submitting false claims to Medicare for hospice care provided to beneficiaries who did not qualify for the services. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
“Unfortunately, some healthcare providers seek to defraud Medicare by billing unnecessary hospice services,” stated U.S. Attorney Clinton Johnson. “Left unchecked, this misconduct would deplete funds available for terminally ill patients desperately in need of the relief that hospice care provides. This settlement should serve as notice to others who consider similar practices that we will vigorously pursue them.”
Hospice care is special end-of-life care for terminally ill patients intended to comfort the dying. Patients admitted to hospice care generally stop receiving coverage for traditional medical care intended to cure their illnesses and instead receive medical care focused on providing them with relief from the symptoms, pain, and stress of a terminal illness. Medicare patients are hospice eligible when they are considered terminally ill and have a life expectancy of six months or less, if their illness runs its normal course.
This settlement resolves allegations that Evergreen knowingly submitted false claims to Medicare for hospice services provided to patients who were not terminally ill and for services that were not medically necessary. According to the settlement agreement, the United States alleged that Evergreen knowingly submitted false claims from Sept. 1, 2017, to May 31, 2020, to Medicare for hospice services that were provided to beneficiaries who did not qualify under the Medicare guidelines for routine hospice care because they were improperly certified as terminally ill.
The government’s action in this matter illustrates the emphasis on combating health care fraud, and one of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marianne Hardcastle prosecuted this case.
The Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health & Human investigated this case.
Owasso Man Sentenced for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A man who was caught downloading and viewing child pornography was sentenced in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Gregory Allen Kirk, 63, of Owasso was sentenced to 66 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for Receipt of Child Pornography. He was further ordered to pay $21,500 in restitution to several victims and $10,100 in fines and penalties.
“My office is committed to the prosecution of those who possess, distribute, or produce child pornography,” said U.S. Attorney Clinton Johnson. “I am thankful for the thorough work of our law enforcement partners for bringing these cases out of the shadows and into federal court.”
According to the plea agreement, Kirk admitted that from about May 2018 through January 2020, he received at least 600 images of child pornography on his computer, which consisted of visual depictions of minor children, under 12 years old, engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including prepubescent children engaged in sexual acts.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cymetra Williams and Vani Singhal prosecuted the case.
The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Justice Department Opens Application Period for Program to Enhance Tribal Access to National Crime Information DatabasesRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – WASHINGTON – The Justice Department is pleased to announce the opening of the application period for federally recognized Tribes and intertribal consortia to participate in the Tribal Access Program (TAP) for National Crime Information, which improves public safety by providing federally recognized Tribes the ability to access and exchange data with national crime information databases for authorized criminal justice and non-criminal justice purposes, such as the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).
“To improve public safety in Indian country, we must break down the barriers to criminal justice information that Tribal communities have faced for years,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “That is why the Justice Department is expanding Tribal communities’ access to national crime databases that enhance law enforcement efforts and coordination through the Tribal Access Program.”
“The Tribal Access Program has strengthened Tribal criminal justice agencies,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “By using TAP, participating Tribes have shared information about missing persons, apprehended fugitives, registered sex offenders, enforced protection orders, and have made hundreds of entries into the FBI’s NICS Indices database to prevent prohibited persons from illegally obtaining access to firearms. The efficient and effective sharing of criminal justice information has improved public safety in Indian country and beyond.”
“The Justice Department is committed to supporting Tribal law enforcement and protecting Tribal communities,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “TAP empowers participating Tribes to take advantage of information from across the country to better investigate and prosecute crime, carry out background checks for potential foster parents, and keep their communities safe and secure from domestic violence and child abuse.”
The program provides training as well as a web-based application and biometric/biographic kiosk workstations to process fingerprints, take mugshots, and submit information to FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) systems. There are currently 123 federally recognized Tribes participating in TAP. The Department will accept TAP applications from July 3 to Sept. 1. Tribes selected to participate will be notified later in September.
“The TAP program has allowed the Poarch Creek Tribal Police Department to have cost-effective access to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) system,” said Chief Chris Rutherford of the Poarch Creek Tribal Police. “Now our officers have full NCIC access from their patrol vehicles, desk, or through our Emergency Tribal Dispatch Center. The value of this program to our reservation far exceeds the minimal effort required to be a participating partner in the TAP program.”
For Tribes that are considering applying, TAP staff will be conducting informational webinars describing the program and its capabilities. Webinars will be offered throughout July and August. For more information about TAP, including webinar dates, times, and access information, visit www.justice.gov/tribal/tribal-access-program-tap.
Using TAP, Tribes have shared information about missing persons; entered domestic violence orders of protection for nationwide enforcement; registered convicted sex offenders; run criminal histories; located fugitives; entered bookings and convictions; and completed fingerprint-based record checks for non-criminal justice purposes such as screening employees or volunteers who work with children.
“We cannot say enough about the efforts that have been made to get the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas (KTTT) ready for this program,” said Director Cristina Collett-Jensen of the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas Legal Department. “Through these efforts, KTTT will have access to information that will substantially improve the KTTT Police Department’s operations, and thereby allow us to better protect and serve the KTTT community.”
The Department offers TAP services through one of the following two methods:
- TAP-LIGHT: Provides application that enables full access (both query and entry capabilities) to national crime information databases including the NCIC, the Interstate Identification Index, and the International Justice and Public Safety Network for criminal justice purposes.
- TAP-FULL: In addition to the basic access capabilities of TAP-LIGHT, provides a kiosk workstation that enables the ability to submit and query fingerprint-based transactions via FBI’s Next Generation Identification system for both criminal justice and non-criminal justice purposes.
Because of the program’s funding sources, eligible Tribes must have — and agree to use TAP for — at least one of the following:
- A Tribal sex offender registry authorized by the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act,
- A Tribal law enforcement agency that has arrest powers,
- A Tribal court that issues orders of protection, or
- A Tribal government agency that screens individuals for foster care placement or that investigates allegations of child abuse/neglect.
TAP is funded by the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking; the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services; the Office for Victims of Crime; and the Office on Violence Against Women. TAP is co-managed by the Department’s Office of the Chief Information Officer and Office of Tribal Justice.
Justice Department Launches Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Regional Outreach ProgramRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice today announced the creation of the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which permanently places 10 attorneys and coordinators in five designated regions across the United States to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people.
“This new program mobilizes the Justice Department’s resources to combat the crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons, which has shattered the lives of victims, their families, and entire Tribal communities.” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will continue to accelerate our efforts, in partnership with Tribes, to keep their communities safe and pursue justice for American Indian and Alaska Native families.”
“These new positions represent the Justice Department’s continuing commitment to addressing the MMIP crisis with urgency and all of the tools at our disposal,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “MMIP prosecutors and coordinators will work with partners across jurisdictions and alongside the Tribal communities who have been most devastated by this epidemic.”
“I am excited about the support this program will provide in the prevention and response to missing or murdered indigenous people,” said U.S. Attorney Clinton Johnson. “The support will include assisting in the investigation of unresolved cases and related crimes. It will also promote enhanced communication, collaboration, and coordination among our federal, Tribal, state, and local law enforcement partners on this important issue.”
The MMIP regional program prioritizes MMIP cases consistent with the Deputy Attorney General’s July 2022 directive to United States Attorneys’ offices promoting public safety in Indian country. The program fulfills the Justice Department’s promise to dedicate new personnel to MMIP consistent with Executive Order 14053, Improving Public Safety and Criminal Justice for Native Americans and Addressing the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous People, and the Department’s Federal Law Enforcement Strategy to Prevent and respond to Violence Against American Indians and Alaska Natives, Including to Address Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons issued in July 2022.
The program will dedicate five MMIP Assistant U.S. Attorneys and five MMIP coordinators to provide specialized support to United States Attorneys’ offices to address and combat the issues of MMIP. This support includes assisting in the investigation of unresolved MMIP cases and related crimes, and promoting communication, coordination, and collaboration among federal, Tribal, local, and state law enforcement and non-governmental partners on MMIP issues. The five regions include the Northwest, Southwest, Great Plains, Great Lakes, and Southeast Regions, and MMIP personnel will be located within host United States Attorneys’ offices in the Districts of Alaska, Arizona, Eastern Washington, Minnesota, New Mexico, Northern Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, and Western Michigan. Programmatic support will be provided by the MMIP Regional Outreach Program Coordinator at the Executive Office for United States Attorneys.
“The Executive Office for United States Attorneys and the United States Attorney community are committed to preventing and responding to cases of missing or murdered Indigenous people. To that end, we will work together with all relevant federal, Tribal, state and local law enforcement partners to locate missing persons and solve crimes where they have occurred," said Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) Director Monty Wilkinson. “This new program will allow the Department to build upon the work done by individual United States Attorneys’ offices and ensure continued support to those offices by coordinating outreach regionally on MMIP matters.
More broadly, this MMIP Program will complement the work of the Justice Department’s National Native American Outreach Services Liaison, who is helping amplify the voice of crime victims in Indian country and their families as they navigate the federal criminal justice system. Further, the MMIP Program will liaise with and enhance the work of the Department’s Tribal Liaisons and Indian Country Assistant United States Attorneys throughout Indian Country, the Native American Issues Coordinator, and the National Indian Country Training Initiative Coordinator to ensure a comprehensive response to MMIP.
Salina Couple Convicted of Child Abuse and NeglectRead the Press Release
TULSA – On Friday June 23, a federal jury returned guilty verdicts against Amanda Irene Smith, 44, and Joel Richard Smith, 48, for Child Abuse in Indian Country and Child Neglect in Indian Country following a four-day trial. The jury deliberated into the evening.
“The abuse of children will never be tolerated or go unpunished,” said U.S. Attorney Clinton Johnson. “The years of abuse the victim suffered at the hands of those she should have been able to trust is both heartbreaking and unconscionable. My office and our law enforcement partners are committed to prosecuting perpetrators of child abuse.”
According to the victim’s testimony presented at trial, she “escaped” to a neighboring home on April 5, 2019, when she was 9 years old. She was filthy, in need of medical attention and extremely hungry. She was wearing a diaper and showed signs of physical abuse, and the neighbor alerted authorities. The victim, who weighed 41 pounds and was wearing a toddler size-four t-shirt, was hospitalized for a week to treat malnutrition and inflections from her wounds. The Mayes County Sheriff’s Office investigation showed that the defendants routinely denied the victim food and access to the bathroom, handcuffed her to a “pack n’ play,” and beat her with a belt and livestock whip. Testimony at trial also revealed the defendants forced her to work outside moving rocks and dirt with her hands, pulling weeds and picking up sticks for several hours at a time.
Previously released on bond prior to trial, the couple was permitted to remain on bond for two weeks and self-report to federal custody for formal sentencing.
U.S. District Judge Michael W. Mosman presided over trial and sentencing is yet to be scheduled. At that time, both face up to life in federal prison.
Mayes County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Ihler and Melody Nelson prosecuted the case.
Federal Grand Jury B Indictments Announced - June 2023Read the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the June 2023 Federal Grand Jury B.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Coby Dale Green. Malicious Use of Explosive Materials. Coby Dale Green, 24, is charged with malicious use of explosive materials after he, on or about Oct. 31, allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail into the Donut Hole donut shop located at 3305 South Peoria Avenue. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is the investigating agency. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Nassar and Nathan E. Michel are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-209
Lorenzo David Richey. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Lorenzo David Richey, 26, is charged with Failure to Register as a Sex Offender from on or about Dec. 5, 2022.The U.S. Marshals Service is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-210
Gerardo Alejandro Castro-Reyes. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Gerardo Alejandro Castro-Reyes, 46, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on or about June 7, 2022, at or near Laredo Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-208
Jose Luis Moreno-Yanez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Jose Luis Moreno-Yanez, 46, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been deported and removed therefrom on or about Dec. 13, 2021, at or near Brownsville, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-211
Claremore Man Pleads Guilty After Being Found with 500+ Images of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A Claremore man found with more than 500 images of child sexual abuse material on his electronic devices pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Christian Lee Birse, 24, pleaded guilty to distribution and receipt of child pornography.
In his plea agreement, Birse admitted to distributing and receiving child pornography via social media from Jan. 13, 2021, to Oct. 7, 2021, while connected to his employer’s internet service. Birse admitted to receiving at least 5 videos that involved the sexual abuse or exploitation of a toddler and other prepubescent children.
He further admitted that he possessed and accessed more than 500 images of children being exploited and abused.
The images were discovered on the defendant’s cell phones and computer.
The Roger’s County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cymetra M. Williams is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Eucha Man Sentenced for Strangling an Intimate PartnerRead the Press Release
A man was sentenced Friday in federal court for strangling an intimate partner in 2021.
“Daniel Jumper strangled the victim and threatened to kill her,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Since taking on a significant increase in domestic violence cases in 2020, federal prosecutors in the Northern District of Oklahoma have proven they are fully capable and have the will to ensure perpetrators of family violence are held accountable for their crimes. I am proud of their pursuit of justice in these cases.”
Chief U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III sentenced Daniel Lee Jumper, 27, of Eucha, to 20 months in federal prison for assault of an intimate/dating partner by strangling and attempting to strangle in Indian Country. Following his term of imprisonment, he will serve three years on supervised release.
In a plea agreement, Jumper admitted that he threatened to kill his spouse after becoming angry with her on Dec. 6, 2021. He then threatened to “rip her head off,” grabbed the victim’s throat and strangled her.
According to court documents, Jumper also punched two individuals who tried to intervene. When he did so, he caused one of them to drop an 8-month-old child .
The FBI and the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Rubens prosecuted the case.
Depew Man Convicted of Sex CrimesRead the Press Release
A Depew man who used Snapchat to coerce and entice a minor to commit sexual acts was convicted Thursday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Johnny Lee Summers, 23, was found guilty of coercion and enticement of a minor; sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country; and abusive sexual contact with a minor in Indian Country.
“The coercive and manipulative conduct perpetrated by Johnny Summers against a teenage girl is criminal and inexcusable,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This week, the victim took a stand against her abuser, joined by two previous child victims of the defendant. Their compelling testimony helped to ensure Summers was held accountable. I want victims to know that the law enforcement community supports them. We will fully investigate accusations of child sexual abuse and work tirelessly to bring abusers to justice.”
Prosecutors showed that Summers coerced a 14-year-old to engage in sexual activity with him from February 2021 to January 2022. Summers sent thousands of sexually inappropriate messages to the victim on Snapchat and convinced her to engage in sexual activity. He also solicited nude images of the victim and sent her nude images of himself.
Summers’ conduct continued to escalate when he regularly isolated the victim in a bathroom and touched the her in a sexual manner. His crimes culminated when Summers attempted to have sex with her in the bathroom.
During trial, two previous victims of Summers testified that he had solicited nude images and videos of them over Snapchat and Facebook messenger when they were underage.
During closing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Luster told the jury that Summers had manipulated the victim, as well as the victim’s older sister, and his attempts to blame others for his conduct should fall on deaf ears, as he needed to be held responsible for his conduct.
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Valeria G. Luster and Steven J. Briden are prosecuting the case.
Federal Grand Jury B Indictments Announced- March 2023Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the March 2023 Federal Grand Jury B.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Tyuane Lamontco Barnes. First Degree Felony Murder in Indian Country; Robbery in Indian Country; Conspiracy; Causing Death by Using and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Barnes, 22, of Tulsa, allegedly conspired with others to rob the minor victim of his firearm, resulting in the victim’s murder on Jan 24, 2023. The FBI and Broken Arrow Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan E. Michel and Aaron M. Jolly are prosecuting the case.
Finnegan Roarke Cutter. Bank Robbery (Charged by Information). Cutter, 21, of Tulsa, is charged with using force and intimidation to rob Truity Credit Union in Bartlesville on Feb. 24, 2023. The FBI and Bartlesville Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan M. Roberts is prosecuting the case.
Osvaldo Bravo-Roblero. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Bravo-Roblero, 34, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Nov. 28, 2018, at or near Hidalgo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Rubens is prosecuting the case.
Ty Warren Copeland. First Degree Burglary in Indian Country. Copeland, 30, of Tulsa, is charged with breaking into a residence while it was occupied on Feb. 28, 2023. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chantelle D. Dial is prosecuting the case.
Ismael Borrayo Esparza; Jesus Ricardo Ornelas Virgen. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. Borrayo, 34, and Ornelas, 33, both of Tulsa, are alleged to have conspired together to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; 500 grams or more of methamphetamine; and 100 grams or more of heroin. The two are also charged with maintaining a residence to store and distribute the methamphetamine. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Tulsa Police Department and Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shakema M. Onias is prosecuting the case.
Ethan Cord Melson. Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country. Melson, 26, of Stroud, is charged with assaulting an intimate partner by strangling her on Jan. 20, 2020. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chantelle D. Dial is prosecuting the case.
Josue Ramirez-Yanez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Ramirez-Yanez, 37, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Nov. 22, 2011, at or near Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Rubens is prosecuting the case.
Joel Alberto Rodriguez-Garcia. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Rodriguez-Garcia, 30, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Aug. 6, 2020, at or near Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Rubens is prosecuting the case.
Ramon Silva-Rodriguez. Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute. Silva-Rodriguez, 25, a Mexican national, is charged with possessing with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron M. Jolly is prosecuting the case.
Ray Alexander Villalba; Elijah Paul Titone. Conspiracy (Count 1); Kidnapping (Count 2); Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (Counts 3, 5, 7, 9, 11); Carjacking (Count 4); Obstructing, Delaying, and Affecting Commerce by Robbery (Counts 6, 10); Obstruction of Justice by Threatening Physical Force Against a Witness (Count 8). Villalba, 21, of Goodyear, Arizona, Titone, 24, of Muskogee, and others allegedly devised a plan where they would use dating apps and cell phones to lure potential victims to discrete locations under the guise of romantic encounters then threaten and kidnap victims in order to take their vehicle and property. Specifically, in early December 2022, the two men allegedly used Grindr to lure one man to a remote location then restrained and kidnapped him. They tied the victim up and forced him into the back seat of his car. Villalba drove the victim’s vehicle while Titone allegedly sat in the back with the victim while pointing a firearm at him. Titone showed the victim decapitation videos and Villalba told him that Titone was a member of a cartel that would kill the man if he did not comply. The two then drove the man to an ATM machine and forced him to provide his pin number to obtain money. They also forced him to unlock his phone so they could download Cashapp and transfer money. They once again threatened to kill the man if he called the police then left him on the side of the rode, driving off with his vehicle and wallet. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Tulsa Police Department and Broken Arrow Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth Elmore and John E. Brasher are prosecuting the case.
Edwar Rosario Villalobos-Quintanilla. Distribution of Fentanyl; Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. Villalobos-Quintanilla, 28, is charged with distributing fentanyl and with conspiring with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon A. Skates is prosecuting the case.
Wyandotte Man Sentenced for Stealing $10,000+ in Grant Funds Allocated for Tribal Youth ProgramsRead the Press Release
A man who stole grant funding awarded to the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma was sentenced Thursday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Travis Neil Patton, 33, of Wyandotte, to five years of probation for theft from Indian tribal organization. He was further ordered to pay $10, 782.60 in restitution.
Between June and October 2019, Patton knowingly embezzled $10, 782.60 worth of grant funding that had been awarded to the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma by the federal government. The grant money was allocated to support programs to help tribal youth struggling with addiction and mental health issues. Patton had access to and control of the funds when he committed the crime.
The Department of Health and Human Services- Office of Inspector General and FBI were the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Cella prosecuted the case.
Woman who Embezzled $2.2 Million from her Employer Admits to Bank Fraud, Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A Bixby woman pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday for committing bank fraud when she embezzled nearly $2.2 million from her employer over a period of nine years, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. She further admitted to failing to pay taxes on the embezzled “income” in 2020.
Christine Fletcher pleaded guilty to bank fraud and tax evasion. As part of her plea agreement, Fletcher will pay at least $2,188,870 in restitution to her former employer and $62,067 to the IRS for unpaid taxes in 2020. A federal judge will sentence Fletcher and determine the final restitution amounts at a later date.
Fletcher worked for a company and various other entities owned by her employer for approximately 38 years. She was entrusted to manage her employer’s various Bank of Oklahoma Financial (BOKF) and Trust Company of Oklahoma bank accounts. She was also entrusted with preparing and providing financial statements and related information to the company’s tax preparer.
In her plea agreement, Fletcher admitted that from December 2012 to approximately May 2021, she embezzled funds for her own personal gain from her employer in the approximate amount of $2, 188,870.
To avoid being detected, she routinely made unauthorized transfers between and among various BOKF and Trust Company of Oklahoma accounts before misappropriating the funds for her own personal use. One of the many ways she fraudulently moved money, included making unauthorized transfers from some accounts into a specific individual’s account. From there, Fletcher prepared forged checks bearing the individual’s name and made the checks payable to herself or on her own behalf. Fletcher also admitted to routinely paying her credit card bills with the unauthorized and forged checks.
Additionally, she admitted that for tax year 2020, she failed to report income she had obtained illegally in the amount of $289,810, thus failing to pay over $62,067 in taxes to the United States Treasury.
The U.S. Secret Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David D. Whipple and Thomas E. Buscemi are prosecuting the case.
President of Oklahoma Steel Pole Manufacturer Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
An Oklahoma man pleaded guilty, on Friday, March 10, to evading over $1 million in income taxes.
According to court documents, from 2014 to 2019, Phillip Barry Albert of Tulsa was President of Pelco Structural LLC and directed its outside payroll service company to pay him over $2.6 million. Albert instructed that the payments be classified as reimbursements rather than income, so that federal income taxes would not be withheld, and the payments would not be reported on his Forms W-2 as wages.
Albert filed individual income tax returns for 2014 through 2019 that did not report the payments, totaling $2,615,750, thus causing a tax loss to the IRS of $1,000,232.
Albert faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Clinton J. Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation and the FBI are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Meredith Havekost of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Cella and Thomas Duncombe of the Northern District of Oklahoma are prosecuting the case.
Tulsa Man Convicted of Carjacking Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
A defendant who took part in multiple carjackings that resulted in the murder of a Tulsa man in 2016 pleaded guilty in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Emmitt Graywolf Sam, 24, pleaded guilty to carjacking resulting in death.
In his plea agreement, Sam admitted that in the early morning hours of June 25, 2016, he and another individual carried firearms and committed several carjackings and robberies. Afterward, the two men drove a stolen black Ford Focus to the 8500 block of East 26th St. in Tulsa. Sam admitted that the men then attempted to carjack victim Jonathan Stephens who was standing next to his Chrysler Pacifica. He further stated that during the attempted carjacking, Stephens was shot and killed by the other individual. The two men then fled the scene in the stolen black Ford Focus and committed several more armed robberies and carjackings.
Sam will be sentenced at a later date.
The FBI and Tulsa and Broken Arrow Police Departments conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Brasher is prosecuting the case.
Man Pleads Guilty for his role in a Delaware County MurderRead the Press Release
A man who took part in a shooting that led to the death of one man and the injury of a woman pleaded guilty in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Dakota Chase Buzzard, 21, of Grove, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to carry, use, brandish, and discharge a firearm during and relation to a crime of violence.
Buzzard admitted in a plea agreement that he agreed with others to carry and use a .22 caliber rifle to confront victim Jerry Tapp at his home in Delaware County. Tapp was killed during the confrontation. The other two individuals allegedly involved in the killing were the defendant’s brother Cody Dwayne Buzzard, 29, and his father James William Buzzard, 50.
On Aug. 1, 2019, the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call reporting a shooting near Jay. Deputies discovered Jerry Tapp deceased in his front yard. It appeared that Tapp sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his body and that a second victim had sustained a gunshot wound to her arm. According to court documents, the victim told investigators that she heard a noise outside the home early that morning and thought Tapp had forgotten his keys to the house. When she turned on the light and opened the door, she heard gunfire and felt a sudden pain in her right wrist. She then shut and locked the front door, crawled to another room, and called 911. The three defendants were later charged with the crime.
On Aug. 11, 2022, Cody Buzzard pleaded guilty to second degree murder in Indian Country and conspiracy to carry, use, brandish, and discharge a firearm during and relation to a crime of violence.
James Buzzard is currently scheduled for trial in April. He is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
See indictment press release here.
The FBI, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and Delaware County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Reagan V. Reininger is prosecuting the case.
Jenks Man Pleads Guilty After Groping a Girl in a Store and Later Following Another Girl and Burglarizing her HomeRead the Press Release
A man who restrained and groped a girl at a Dollar General store where he worked and who followed another girl home from a school bus stop then burglarized her family’s home pleaded guilty today in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
William Mark Parnell, 21, pleaded guilty to Attempted Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country and Second Degree Burglary in Indian Country.
On June 1, 2021, Parnell admitted that he was working at a Dollar General in Glenpool when he saw a minor female walk inside. He followed the girl down an aisle then grabbed her from behind, placing one hand over her mouth and another hand down her pants. He told the minor to be quiet and move. He stated that when he tried to turn the girl to face him, she was able to escape. He admitted that he intended to engage in sexual contact with the victim.
On May 16, 2022, Parnell followed a different girl from a bus stop and broke into her family’s home in Tulsa. The child fled to a neighbor’s house just prior to Parnell’s entry. Parnell admitted that while inside, he stole a firearm. Shortly after, Parnell discarded the stolen firearm in a pond to conceal it from law enforcement.
Parnell was later identified and arrested, and the firearm was recovered from the pond in a joint effort by Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police and Tulsa Police.
The FBI, Tulsa Police Department, Glenpool Police Department, and the Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam C. Bailey and Stacey P. Todd are prosecuting the case.
Federal Grand Jury A Indictments Announced- March 2023Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the March 2023 Federal Grand Jury A.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Estaban Abarca-Calbario. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Abarca-Calbario, 43, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Aug. 11, 2009, at or near Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-99
Dravon Josiah Drayton. Theft of Firearms from a Federal Firearm Licensee; Possession of Stolen Firearms. Drayton, 20, of Peoria, is charged with stealing a Radical Firearm 5.56 caliber rifle; a Walther 9 mm semi-automatic pistol; a Walther .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol; and an IWI 9 mm caliber semi-automatic pistol from a pawn shop. He is further charged with possessing those stolen firearms. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko A. Boulieris is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-90
Amanda Nicole Gossett; Shawn William Gossett. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under 12 Years of Age in Indian Country (Count 1); Child Neglect in Indian Country (Counts 2-3); Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under 12 Years of Age in Indian Country (Counts 4-5); Child Neglect in Indian Country (Counts 6 and 7). Amanda Gossett, 34, of Bristow, is charged with the aggravated sexual abuse of a child younger than 12 years old. She is further charged with failing to provide for the proper care and protection of two children. William Gossett, 32, of Sand Springs, is charged with the aggravated sexual abuse of both children and with neglecting both children. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Ihler is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-91
Isaias Salvador Huerta-Herrera. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Huerta-Herrera, 36, a Mexican National, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on July 29, 2019, at or near Paso Del Norte Bride, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert T. Raley is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-92
Kawliga Neal Kingfisher. Possession of Child Pornography. Kingfisher, 34, of Salina, is charged with possessing child sexual abuse material. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah Paisner is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-93
Victor Antonio Portillo-Alvarado. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Portillo-Alvarado, 27, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on May 3, 2021, at or near Nogales, Arizona. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-94
Alexander Ian Reid. Advertising to Receive, Exchange, Produce, Display, Distribute, and Reproduce Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country. Reid, 24, of Bartlesville, allegedly sought and offered to produce, exchange, and distribute child sexual abuse material online. He is further alleged to have possessed child sexual abuse material. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-95
Rene Rodriguez-Hernandez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Rodriguez-Hernandez, 36, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on March 16, 2012, at or near Brownsville, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon A. Skates is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-96
Andrew Cordario Wagoner. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Wagoner, 31, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic pistol and ammunition. The Tulsa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric O. Johnston is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-99
Okmulgee Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Second Degree MurderRead the Press Release
A defendant who pleaded guilty to fatally shooting a man at a north Tulsa convenience store parking lot was sentenced today in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
“The defendant callously chased down, shot and killed the victim, who was simply sweeping trash from a convenience store parking lot,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Marquelon Johnson will serve a 25-year prison sentence for taking this man’s life. I’m thankful to our law enforcement partners and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward Snow and Nathan Michel for ensuring Johnson was brought to justice for this heinous crime.”
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Marquelon Dakarai Johnson, 22, of Okmulgee, to 300 months in federal prison for second degree murder. Following his release from prison, he will serve five years on supervised release.
Johnson previously admitted that he shot and killed victim Austin Martin and intended to do so.
On Oct. 4, 2021, Tulsa Police Department was dispatched to the 3200 block of E. Pine Street in Tulsa in response to shots fired. They located the victim in the street.
During a review of security footage, officers found that the incident began at a nearby convenience store and continued through a shopping strip parking lot. The footage showed the victim cleaning a business parking lot when the defendant approached him. The two briefly interacted then Johnson walked away while the victim continued to clean the lot. Less than a minute later, the suspect reapproached and interacted with the victim, who then began running east bound through the parking lot. The suspect could be seen reaching under his shirt and chasing the victim. Footage from another location showed the victim running from Johnson who was firing at him. The victim eventually collapsed on the ground and the suspect fled the scene.
Officers were later notified of a man transported to St. Johns Medical Center after he was caught breaking into a vehicle near the crime scene shortly after the shooting. The man had been injured by the vehicle’s owner and others. He refused to answer questions. Officers eventually tied him to the shooting when they recognized his clothing from the surveillance video that captured the murder. They were then able to identify him as Marquelon Johnson.
The Tulsa Police Department and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward Snow and Nathan E Michel prosecuted the case.
Jury Convicts Man of Fentanyl and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted an Arizona man after Tulsa police officers found him with more than 8,000 fentanyl pills and multiple stolen firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Hatcher Ramon Day, 27, of Phoenix, Arizona, was convicted Thursday of possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute; possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
“Hatcher Day came from Arizona to Oklahoma for the purpose of distributing fentanyl. He further possessed five firearms to help protect his illicit product and profits,” said US Attorney Clint Johnson. “Drugs and guns are never a good combination and too often result in violence and death. These dealers wreak havoc on families and contribute to the economic decline in neighborhoods. My office and our partners at the Tulsa Police Department and ATF are committed to stopping them.”
In September 2022, an officer with the Tulsa Police Department’s Human Trafficking and Vice Unit, received a tip about a man who was selling fentanyl pills out of a Tulsa home. A subsequent records check revealed that the residence was a short-term Airbnb rental property.
On Sept. 19, 2022, Tulsa police officers executed a search warrant on the home, where Day was present. During the search, they discovered more than 8,000 fentanyl pills weighing 888 grams, five firearms, and numerous rounds of ammunition. Day was a convicted felon and, therefore, prohibited from possessing firearms. Officers discovered four of the five firearms were stolen when they checked the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database. Additionally, officers established that Day was the individual who rented the property through Airbnb.
During trial, a witness testified that he and Day came from Arizona to Tulsa for the purpose of distributing fentanyl. He also testified that before the search warrant was executed on the home, he witnessed Day conduct a drug deal, where Day agreed to sell a customer two “boats” of fentanyl. A “boat” is considered one thousand fentanyl pills.
The Tulsa Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan E. Michel and Kenneth Elmore prosecuted the case
Tulsan Sentenced to Life in Prison for Sexually Abusing a 7-Year-Old ChildRead the Press Release
A Tulsan who sexually abused a young child for approximately one year was sentenced Monday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Jack Zouhary sentenced Robert William Perry II, 32, to life in federal prison. In May, Perry was found guilty at trial for aggravated sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country and for abusive sexual contact of a minor in Indian Country.
“Robert Perry’s crimes are despicable. The defendant repeatedly abused a 7-year-old girl for whom the defendant was responsible,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This week, the Court made it clear that Perry’s predatory crimes and blame shifting warranted a lifetime in federal prison.”
During the hearing, the judge called Perry’s actions intentional and manipulative. He reflected on the long-term trauma the child would have to live with then noted that protecting children was one of society’s highest duties.
Perry sexually abused the minor from May 6, 2017, to May 15, 2018,. Prosecutors contended that Perry would coerce the young child into sex acts then “reward” her with candy, other items, and the opportunity to play video games in what the defendant termed as a “man cave,” a closet where Perry regularly played video games and watched pornography. Most of the abuse occurred in the closet while the child was in the defendant's care. The child eventually told a friend at school about the abuse. Another student overheard the discussion and reported it to her teacher. The teacher had a conversation with the victim, who then disclosed the abuse and wrote about it. The teacher reported the crimes to the Oklahoma Department of Human Services.
In a forensic interview, the young child was initially hesitant to speak about the abuse but indicated that Perry made her keep secrets. She eventually drew a picture of the abuse when she was examined by a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner. She also testified about the abuse at an earlier state trial and at the federal trial in May 2022.
Perry was previously convicted in Tulsa County District Court in 2020, but the conviction was later dismissed because the state lacked jurisdiction to prosecute the case following the Supreme Court’s decision in McGirt v Oklahoma. Perry is a citizen of the Muscogee Nation, and the crimes occurred within the tribe’s reservation. Only the federal government or tribes have jurisdiction to prosecute cases that occur in Indian Country that involve Native American defendants.
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex M. Scott and Valeria G. Luster prosecuted the case.
*Note: The defendant, Robert Perry II, now identifies as she/her.
Federal Jury Convicts Tulsa Man for Assaulting St. Francis Hospital Security OfficersRead the Press Release
A federal jury found a Tulsa man guilty this week for assaulting two security officers with his vehicle, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Leeroy Wendell McQueary II, 40, was convicted of two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country.
“Two security officers tried to calm Leeroy McQueary II down inside St. Francis Hospital, and when that failed, they escorted him out of the facility to protect employees and patients,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Then McQueary aimed his vehicle at the officers, accelerated, and attempted to run them down. He’s now learned there were consequences for his criminal behavior.”
On Nov. 4, 2022, McQueary entered the St. Francis Hospital lobby, acting agitated and stating that he was trying to locate a friend, whom he couldn’t name. Concerned about his erratic and angry behavior, front desk employees asked him to step to another area of the lobby while they tried to gather more information. They then contacted security for assistance.
When two security officers arrived and calmly requested more information about the “patient,” McQueary again could not provide the patient’s name nor a valid hospital room number. He continued to act erratic. McQueary’s behavior further escalated when security asked him to leave and eventually escorted him from the facility using verbal commands.
McQueary continued yelling expletives at the security team and repeatedly threatened to hunt them down and kill them. Security provided the defendant space and a clear path to exit the parking area.
McQueary entered his vehicle and backed out of his parking spot, then accelerated his car, aimed at, and rammed a parked security vehicle occupied by a third officer. He then accelerated down the parking lane.
Officers ran across the parking lot to see where McQueary was headed. At one point, McQueary made a deliberate U-turn and accelerated toward both security officers at a dangerous pace. He then aimed more deliberately toward them. Officers drew their firearms to no effect and eventually fired at the defendant’s car. Before being struck, both security officers jumped away from the vehicle, which almost hit them.
The defendant then sped up, drove over a parking lot curb, attempted to drive away, and crashed into an electric box. He exited the vehicle and fled the scene on foot.
Hospital surveillance video verified the front desk employees’ and officers’ accounts about what happened in the lobby. Surveillance and several witnesses further verified the incident that occurred outside the hospital.
The Tulsa Police Department located and arrested McQueary on Nov. 30, 2022.
The Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Niko A. Boulieris and Adam C. Bailey are prosecuting the case.
Defendant in Case that Led to the One of the Largest Fentanyl Seizures in the Northern District of Oklahoma Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
A man whose illicit drug operation resulted in one of the largest fentanyl seizures in the Northern District of Oklahoma pleaded guilty in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Raul Plata-Cibrian, 25, a Mexican National illegally residing in United States, pleaded guilty to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute.
“In the last year, the illicit sale of deadly fentanyl has dramatically increased in the Northern District of Oklahoma,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Drug traffickers are pushing this poison in our communities without regard to the human toll it exacts. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to target individuals, from high-level fentanyl traffickers to street level dealers, and hold them accountable for spreading addiction and causing death throughout northeastern Oklahoma.”
“Fentanyl and other illicit drugs are not victimless crimes,” said Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin. “They have always been an overwhelming contributor to today’s problems to include homelessness, property crimes, and violent crimes. Drugs are the one constant present in crime, and it is overlooked and accepted by many. The Tulsa Police Department, United States Attorney’s Office, and the DEA will continue to focus our efforts on the root cause of crime.”
“This guilty plea sends a message to drug traffickers that those who endanger innocent lives by pushing fentanyl will not be tolerated,” said Eduardo A. Chávez, Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Field Division, who oversees operations in Oklahoma. “Drugs and those who distribute these poisons have no place in our neighborhoods. The DEA will never waver in our resolve to identify and hold those responsible for their actions.”
Investigators with the Tula Police Department began tracking Plata-Cibrian in July 2022. They noted that Plata-Cibrain would drive to various parking lots throughout Tulsa in a matter of hours and that he would repeat the driving behavior daily. Investigators knew the defendant’s behavior to be indicative of drug trafficking and eventually executed a search warrant of the trafficker’s residence on Aug. 2, 2022.
During the search, officers located approximately 3,530 grams of fentanyl powder, 1,343 grams of fentanyl pills, 2,732 grams of methamphetamine, 498 grams of cocaine, and 146 grams of black tar heroin. They further located six cellphones, digital scales, a .380 caliber pistol, associated ammunition, and almost $7,000 in cash.
Plata-Cibrian is in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service and will be sentenced at a later date.
The Tulsa Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick is prosecuting the case.
Kentucky Man Charged with Running Cocaine Distribution OperationRead the Press Release
A Hopkinsville, Kentucky, man made an initial appearance in federal court Wednesday after being indicted for drug conspiracy and related charges, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Melvin Dontreele Brown, 30, was arrested Tuesday in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Law enforcement executed search warrants at four different locations there associated with Brown and on multiple bank accounts. Initial items recovered include approximately $100,000 in cash, $164,000 from bank accounts, marijuana, fentanyl, and a firearm.
Brown is charged with one count of drug conspiracy; two counts of laundering of monetary instruments; and 14 counts of use of a communication facility in committing, causing and facilitating the commission of a drug trafficking felony.
Brown is accused of conspiring with others to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
According to the indictment, Brown and his coconspirators allegedly distributed bulk quantities of cocaine in the Hopkinsville and Tulsa areas from July 2020 to May 2021 .
The cocaine was allegedly imported from Mexico and transported by couriers in vehicles to Oklahoma and to Brown in Kentucky. The conspirators regularly used cellphones and coded phrases to coordinate their drug transactions. Examples of coded language included “ceiling paint” which referenced cocaine and “paper” which referenced currency used as payment for cocaine deliveries.
The conspirators received bulk quantities of currency as payment for cocaine deliveries and conducted financial transactions using banks in the Northern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere. Brown is charged in the indictment with making two financial transactions designed to conceal the nature and origin of the illicit proceeds.
Brown made an initial appearance in the Western District of Kentucky (Paducah) Wednesday and is scheduled for a detention hearing there Friday at 10 am.
The prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas and Louisville Divisions and the Tulsa and Hopkinsville Police Departments are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Tonkin is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law
Man Pleads Guilty for Sexually Assaulting a 14-Year-Old and Strangling a Dating PartnerRead the Press Release
A man who sexually abused a 14-year-old victim and later assaulted his then-girlfriend has pleaded guilty in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Andrew Don Rector, 32, of Kiefer, pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country and assault of an intimate/dating partner by strangling and attempting to strangle in Indian Country.
In his plea agreement, Rector admitted that on Aug. 15, 2020, to Aug. 16, 2020, he sexually abused a 14-year-old victim while she was at his home. Officers dispatched to locate the teenager, who was reported as a runaway, discovered the victim in the defendant’s home. Law enforcement were able to prove the sexual assault after interviewing the victim and analyzing DNA evidence.
Rector further admitted that from May 3, 2022, to May 4, 2022, he strangled his dating partner. During the domestic violence assault, he strangled the victim multiple times and also threatened to kill the victim and her family.
The FBI and Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie Childress and Cymetra Williams are prosecuting the case.
Broken Arrow Man Pleads Guilty After Illegally Applying for and Receiving a $20,665 Paycheck Protection Program LoanRead the Press Release
A man who received $20,665 from the Small Business Administration after fraudulently applying for a Paycheck Protection Program loan pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Malcolm Andre Jones, 31, of Broken Arrow, pleaded guilty to wire fraud. In his plea agreement, Jones admitted that he devised a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration of the funds.
Specifically, Jones knowingly submitted a false and fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan application to Capital PF, a Small Business Administration approved lender. The loan application Jones prepared and submitted falsely claimed that he operated a landscaping business and that all loan proceeds would be used for business-related purposes. Instead, when he obtained the funds in March 2021, he used the loan proceeds for miscellaneous non-business expenses, including paying bills and purchasing a couch and an automobile. Jones further fraudulently submitted a forgiveness application for the loan and was granted forgiveness based on his submission.
The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection- Office of Inspector General and the Small Business Administration-Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard M. Cella is prosecuting the case.
To learn more about the Justice Department’s COVID response and to report COVID-19 fraud, visit: https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. For further information on the Criminal Division’s enforcement efforts on PPP fraud, including court documents from significant cases, visit the following website: https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/ppp-fraud.
Tahlequah Man Sentenced to 7 Years for Assaulting Two Victims with a Bat and FirearmRead the Press Release
A defendant who broke into a Broken Arrow home and assaulted a woman and man in 2017 was sentenced Friday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Louis Clayton Chaffin, 45, of Tahlequah, to 84 months in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release.
Chaffin previously pleaded guilty to first degree burglary in Indian Country and three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country.
“Louis Chaffin broke into a home wielding a bat and gun. He then assaulted two victims, seriously injuring them. Fortunately, the incident was deescalated when the homeowner stepped in and stopped him,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Today’s 7-year sentence should make it clear that this office and our law enforcement partners will hold violent perpetrators accountable.”
Chaffin admitted that on Dec. 9, 2017, he broke into the home by kicking in the front door and while carrying an aluminum baseball bat and a 9mm pistol. Chaffin struck the man and woman with the bat repeatedly. He pointed the gun at the man and pistol whipped him in the face. The incident only ended after another individual, the homeowner, took out his own gun and ordered Chaffin to leave.
As a result of the assault, the male victim suffered broken facial bones and a fractured skull. The female victim suffered a concussion from the beating, and her face later required numerous stitches.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Broken Arrow Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael F. Harder and Eric O. Johnston prosecuted the case.
Inola Man and Tulsa Man Plead Guilty to Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
Two men pleaded guilty this week in federal court to child pornography charges, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Eli Cooper Cailler, 24, of Inola, pleaded guilty on Feb. 16, 2023, to possession of child pornography and receipt of child pornography. In his plea agreement, Cailler stated that he possessed, accessed and received child sexual abuse material. The material included an extensive number of photographs and videos of minors under the age of 12. He further stated that he possessed the images on his own electronic devices, which no one else had access to and that he received the visual depictions using Google Drive and the dark web. The Tulsa Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah Paisner is prosecuting the case.
Mikaili Diwani Cohn, 25, of Tulsa, pleaded guilty on Feb. 13, 2023, to receipt and distribution of child pornography, possession of child pornography, and failure to register as a sex offender. The investigation was initiated after Cohn failed to update his sex offender registry with his new Tulsa address. When he was located, U.S. Probation officials arrested Cohn and confiscated his phone. Homeland Security Investigations agents later discovered child sexual abuse material on the phone. In his plea agreement, Cohn admitted to possessing and distributing three child pornography videos via Kik from May 26, 2022, through July 12, 2022. At least one of the videos depicted a child under the age of 12. Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Jiang and Valeria G. Luster are prosecuting the case.
These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Justice Department Announces over $200 Million in Investments in State Crisis InterventionRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today 49 awards to states, territories, and the District of Columbia as part of the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program. This investment of over $231 million will fund state crisis intervention court proceedings, including but not limited to, extreme risk protection order (ERPO) programs that work to keep guns out of the hands of those who pose a threat to themselves or others. This investment in community safety is authorized by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022, historic legislation to address and reduce gun violence.
As part of the grant awards, the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office and the Oklahoma District Attorneys Council received $3,557,418. The funding could possibly be used for specialized court-based programs, such as drug, mental health, and veterans treatment courts, including those that specifically accept clients with firearms violations; behavioral health deflection for those at risk to themselves or others; funding for law enforcement agencies to safely secure, store, track and return relinquished guns; and more.
“The Justice Department is working relentlessly to protect communities from violent crime and the gun violence that often drives it, and the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program is an important part of that effort,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These awards will support the kinds of crisis intervention programs that we know save lives and help protect children, families, and communities across the country from senseless acts of gun violence.”
“I am thankful for the more than $3.5 million dollar grant awarded to the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office. The Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program funding will support vital, evidence-based state and local programs that help save lives by reducing and preventing gun violence in communities across Oklahoma,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
These awards, administered by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), provide funding to states for the creation and implementation of extreme risk protection order programs, state crisis intervention court proceedings, and related gun violence reduction initiatives. Extreme risk protection order programs empower family members, health care providers, school officials and law enforcement officers to petition a court to temporarily prevent a person from accessing firearms if they are found to be a danger to themselves or others. Funds can also support interventions like drug, mental health and veterans’ treatment courts, gun violence recovery courts, behavior health deflection and outpatient treatment centers.
The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act also seeks to ensure that extreme risk protection order laws and programs are implemented in accordance with the Constitution and provide for adequate due process protections. Projects funded under this program will need to demonstrate that they have taken measures to safeguard the constitutional rights of an individual subject to a crisis intervention program or ERPO initiative. The Justice Department has long supported state efforts to increase the use of ERPOs and in 2021 the Department released model legislation to help states create their own extreme risk protection order systems and provide for intervention before warning signs turn into tragedy.
Signed into law by President Biden in June 2022, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act is the most significant piece of federal gun safety legislation in almost three decades and comes as a response to recent mass shootings and to the far more common, but no less tragic, incidents of community gun violence. Including the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program, the law allocates a total of $1.4 billion to OJP over five years to develop, implement, and sustain meaningful investments in safer communities.
Man Pleads Guilty to Strangling his Dating PartnerRead the Press Release
A man pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to a December attack on his girlfriend, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Imari Jamil Hines, 36, of Owasso, pleaded guilty to assault of an intimate/dating partner by strangling and suffocating in Indian Country.
In the early morning hours of Dec. 16, 2022, Hines and the victim got into an argument that turned physical inside the victim’s apartment. According to court documents, the victim told police that when the confrontation escalated, Hines pushed the victim and began strangling her. He then punched the victim in the face and banged her head on the ground repeatedly. The victim reported that she was able to flee the apartment, and Hines left the scene in her vehicle.
Officers observed bruising and red marks on the victim’s neck and petechiae in the victim’s eyes consistent with being strangled. They also noted the victim suffered a black eye and bruising on her face.
The FBI, Tulsa Police Department and Owasso Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko A. Boulieris is prosecuting the case.
Three Men plead Guilty to Child Sex CrimesRead the Press Release
Three men pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court to committing sex crimes against children, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Caleb Lee Giles, 23, of Afton, pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country and coercion and enticement of a minor. Giles perpetrated sex crimes against two minor victims starting in 2020. The crimes continued for several years. Giles began communicating with the first victim when the minor was 13 years old, which became a sexual relationship when she was 14. Giles began communicating with the second victim for the purpose of coercing her into sexual activity when she was 12 years old. The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan E. Michel and Valeria G. Luster are prosecuting the case.
Ronald Paul Phillippe, 58, of Tulsa, pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country. Phillippe admitted that between September 2018 and Oct 1, 2021, he touched a minor younger than 12 years old in a sexual manner numerous times through the clothes. The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Ihler is prosecuting the case.
Mark Kevin Henshall, 28, of Springfield, Missouri, pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country and incest in Indian Country. Henshaw raped and regularly engaged in sexual activity with a minor relative for two years, starting when Henshall was 21. The FBI, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and Bartlesville Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko A. Boulieris is prosecuting the case.
All defendants will be sentenced at later dates.
These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Federal Grand Jury A Indictments Announced-February 2023Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the February 2023 Federal Grand Jury A.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Christopher Emile Champoux. Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography. Champoux, 36, of Bristow, allegedly received, distributed, and possessed child sexual abuse material from Sept. 28, 2021, to Oct. 28, 2022. Homeland Security Investigations and Bristow Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-48
Juan Carlos Figueroa-Hernandez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Figueroa-Hernandez, 51, a Honduran national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Nov. 1, 2016, at or near San Antonio, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-56
Pedro Flores-Vivar. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Flores-Vivar, 49, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Nov. 12, 2007, at or near Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-57
Justin Randall Gering; Tyler Levi Tavis. Arson of Property Used in an Activity Affecting Interstate and Foreign Commerce; Damage by Fire of Property Owned by an Institution Receiving Federal Funding. Gering, 29, of Fairland, and Tavis, 22, of Miami, are charged with setting a fire in the Ottawa County Jail, located at 28 B Street SE in Miami, on Dec.23, 2022. The two were incarcerated in the jail at the time of the crime. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-62
Scotty Harjo. Second Degree Burglary in Indian Country (Counts 1-27) (superseding). Harjo, 39, of Tulsa, is charged with breaking into commercial buildings on 27 different occasions in 2022 with the intent to steal property or cash. Businesses included restaurants, bars, coffee shops, bakeries, doughnut shops, barber shops, warehouses and more. The Bureau of Indian Affairs and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-2.
Mary Frances Hernandez. Wire Fraud (Counts 1-2). From Feb. 6, 2018, to Dec. 19, 2018, Hernandez, 36, of Tulsa, was employed as a bookkeeper and general manager at a protective equipment supply company and allegedly made numerous unauthorized purchases using the company’s Chase Bank corporate credit card, totaling $18, 917.33. The U.S. Secret Service is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Jiang and Richard M. Cella are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-49
Mauricio Hernandez-Castillo. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien; Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm. Hernandez-Castillo, 36 of Tulsa, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on June 29, 2018, at or near Houston, Texas. He is further charged with being a felon in possession of an Anderson Manufacturing multi-caliber semiautomatic pistol and 195 rounds of ammunition. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Rubens is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-63
Phillip Verlon Logan; David Bryson Logan. Arson of a Building Receiving Federal Funds. Verlon Logan, 38, of Wyandotte, and David Logan, 24, of Miami, allegedly set a fire in the Ottawa County Jail, located at 28 B Street SE in Miami, on June 4, 2022. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah D. Paisner is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-61
Abner Lopez-Alvarado. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien; Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm. Lopez-Alvarado, 33, a Honduran national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Sept. 17, 2012. He was further charged with possessing a Sig Sauer Magnum caliber revolver while being unlawfully in the United States. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements’ Enforcement and Removal Operations, the Tulsa Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Rubens is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-53
Jayme Gamaliel Lopez-Olivares. Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by an Alien Illegally in the United States. Lopez-Olivares, 39, a Guatemalan national, is charged with possessing a Smith & Wesson 9mm caliber pistol and 16 rounds of ammunition while being unlawfully in the United States. The Tulsa Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon A. Skates is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-54
Jajuan Alexander Markham. Felon in Possession of a Firearm; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime; Possession of a Stolen Firearm. On Dec. 3, 2022, Markham, 30, of Tulsa, a felon, was carrying a stolen Browning 9mm caliber semi-automatic pistol while possessing with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Spencer Willson is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-46
Colby Howard McGinnis. Bank Fraud (1-51); Aggravated Identity Theft (52-102) . McGinnis, 31, of Tulsa, is charged with making dozens of illegal purchases using another individual’s stolen debit card. Purchases were made from Nov. 3, 2022, through Nov. 7, 2022, at convenience stores, clothing and shoe stores, restaurants, hotels, casinos and more. The Tulsa Police Department and U.S. Secret Service are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon A. Skates is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-60
Porfirio Mejia-Murcia. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Mejia-Murcia, 46, a Honduran national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States on Aug. 3, 2007, at or near Harlingen, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-58
Cole Walker Morris. Threatening to Kidnap, Assault and Murder a Member of the Federal Judiciary. On Jan. 10, 2023, Morris, 29, of Tulsa, allegedly threatened to assault, kidnap, and murder a federal judge with the intent to intimidate the judge and his staff. The FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan A. Achorn is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-47
Guillermo Rodriguez Garcia. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Rodriguez, 43, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Oct. 31, 2022, at or near Laredo-Columbia Bridge, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-55
Bryan Cordell Thomas. Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Thomas, 35, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Ruger 9mm automatic caliber pistol. Homeland Security Investigations and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Elmore is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-41
Lucas Anthony Walker. First Degree Murder in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence in Indian Country. Walker, 20, of Bartlesville, was indicted for the first degree murder of victims Deborah and Larry Dutton. The crimes occurred on Dec. 21, 2022. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and FBI are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric O. Johnston and Shakema M. Onias are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-50
Tulsa Man Pleads Guilty to Second Degree MurderRead the Press Release
A defendant pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court for shooting and killing a man who attempted to drive away after a brief verbal altercation, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Dillon Charles Wilson, 26, of Tulsa, pleaded guilty to second degree murder in Indian Country.
Wilson admitted that on Jan. 19, 2022, he shot victim Jamitric Landrum, killing him.
Tulsa Police officers were dispatched to the 5900 block of Charles Page Boulevard in Tulsa just after 1 am in reference to the shooting. The victim was located in a wrecked vehicle with a gunshot wound to the back and was transported to the hospital where was later pronounced dead.
According to court documents, a witness told responding officers that she and the victim were driving around looking for an unknown individual they thought had try to force his way into her apartment. The victim was driving the vehicle and pulled into a parking lot near the apartment complex. She stated that she saw two men and a woman in the parking lot talking to a tow truck driver. At one point, Landrum unrolled the window and made a remark to one of the men, who considered it disrespectful. The man, later identified as Wilson, then pulled out a firearm. The witness stated that the victim attempted to drive away when Wilson started shooting at the vehicle. The victim was struck, grabbed his chest, attempted to continue driving, then crashed into a pole. The witness relayed that she saw the shooter get into a gray SUV that sped away.
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Brasher is prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Federal Jury Convicts Tulsa Man of Brutal Assault on Elderly VictimRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Tulsa man Thursday for holding a 72-year-old woman captive in her own home and brutally assaulting her, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Elga Eugene Harper, 40, of Tulsa, was found guilty of kidnapping in Indian Country; aggravated sexual abuse by force and threat in Indian Country; assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country; and assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country.
“Elga Harper is a violent sexual predator who beat and sexually assaulted an elderly woman in her home,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “At trial, the victim testified and faced her attacker. It is never easy for victims to relive the details of their assault, and I always admire the courage and strength it takes to do so. This week, a federal jury heard her story, reviewed the evidence, and delivered justice for this victim.”
Harper, a transient, had previously performed work at the victim’s home, and the two had numerous conversations about philosophy and her work in counseling. At one point, the woman told Harper she no longer needed his assistance and paid him in full for his services.
On May 4, 2022, several months after their last meeting, Harper returned unexpectedly to the victim’s home and approached her asking for work or counseling services. The woman declined then Harper asked to use the bathroom in her home. She agreed. When Harper did not exit the bathroom, the victim walked toward the back of the home and saw Harper standing naked in her room. He immediately attacked the victim.
During the next four-hours, Harper violently physically and sexually assaulted the victim and refused to call 911 when she pleaded for him to do so. He further ransacked her home in search of her car title, took her car keys, and told the victim to “shut up” when she prayed aloud. When he finally fled from her home at approximately 6 pm, the victim called 911, reporting the assault and that Elga Harper was responsible.
When officers arrived at the scene, they found the victim gravely injured, and she again identified her attacker as Harper. The victim was transported to the hospital. She suffered extensive injuries to her face, head, neck, arms, hands, and legs and continues to receive treatment for her injuries.
Harper was located and taken into custody on May 10, 2022.
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chantelle D. Dial and Melody N. Nelson are prosecuting the case.
Bixby Man Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Acquiring Almost $28,000 Worth of Commercial Products from a California CompanyRead the Press Release
A man who attempted to fraudulently acquire more than $92,000 worth of commercial products from a California-based company pleaded guilty in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
By the time the fraudulent activity was discovered, the defendant had obtained products valued at $27,991.01 without paying for them.
On Tuesday, Wayne Allen Baker, 53, of Bixby, pleaded guilty to wire fraud.
According to court documents, Baker admitted that he devised and carried out a scheme to defraud the national commercial products distributor, which sells plumbing supplies, waterworks and fire and fabrication products.
As part of his scheme, Baker told the company that he was acting on behalf of a corporation based out of Dallas, abbreviated in court documents as EMI. Baker altered EMI’s name by inserting a hyphen, thus making it appear legitimate. Baker then set up online accounts with the California company where he falsely represented that he was acting on behalf of EMI as their chief executive officer. Using the fraudulently created EMI accounts, Baker ordered products from the California company worth a total of $92,098.25 and directed the goods to be delivered to his residence in Bixby and to a separate location in Tulsa. Between April 14 and April 28, 2020, Baker submitted approximately 59 internet orders for the equipment items. Baker initially made the orders appear legitimate, in part, by making bogus partial online payments to the company. Ultimately, Baker only received a portion of the products that he fraudulently ordered.
The FBI, U.S. Secret Service, and Bixby Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard M. Cella is prosecuting the case.
Third Codefendant Sentenced for 2021 CarjackingsRead the Press Release
A Tulsa man who took part in two carjackings was sentenced in federal court Friday, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. His two codefendants were sentenced in January.
Chief U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III sentenced Carlos Alfredo Arroliga, 27, to 168 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. He previously pleaded guilty to two counts of carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
“Carlos Arroliga took part in two armed carjackings at apartment complexes in Tulsa. He and his two cohorts are now headed to federal prison where they can no longer threaten, terrorize and put Tulsans’ lives at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Protecting our community from violence is a top priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners at the Tulsa Police Department. I appreciate Chief Franklin and the officers who have dedicated themselves to seeking justice and protecting this community. Their work is critical to bringing violent offenders to account for the harm they cause to victims.”
Codefendant Raul Hernandez-Moreno, 22, was sentenced to 225 months in federal prison after he was convicted at trial of two counts of carjacking; two counts of carrying, using and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; and possession of a firearm and ammunition by an alien illegally in the United States.
Codefendant Nicole Marie Rumualdo, aka Nicole Hughes, 29, was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to two counts of carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
On Oct. 26, 2021, Hernandez-Moreno, Rumualdo, and Arroliga were responsible for two carjackings in Tulsa. At 7:30 am, Hernandez-Moreno and his two accomplices pulled alongside a gray 2006 Mazda 3 in the Echo Trails Apartments in Tulsa. The defendants exited their blue SUV, and Rumualdo pointed a loaded handgun at the victim. Hernandez-Moreno blocked the victim from behind. Speaking in Spanish, Rumualdo demanded the victim’s wallet and cell phone. When the victim responded that he did not have his wallet and cell phone, Rumualdo snatched the victim’s keys. Hernandez-Moreno and Rumualdo drove off in the Mazda, and Arroliga followed in the blue SUV.
A few hours later, the three defendants targeted a maintenance worker in his parked vehicle at Bristol Park Apartments in Tulsa. The victim was preparing to perform repairs at the complex when the defendants pulled into a nearby spot. Hernandez-Moreno then approached the victim and pointed a loaded gun at the victim, ordering him to hand over his money. Hernandez-Moreno then took the victim’s keys and drove off in the victim’s 2010 gray Chevrolet Silverado. Arroliga and Rumualdo followed in the blue SUV.
Officers were able to locate surveillance footage of the crimes from one of the apartment complexes. The video showed the vehicle used by the defendants, a bright blue Ford Escape with a paper tag and unique license plate frame. The same day of the crime, the blue Ford Escape was observed on Garnett Road, and a traffic stop was initiated because it matched the description of the SUV seen in the surveillance video. Arroliga was driving the vehicle and taken into custody for questioning. On Oct. 27, 2020, Hernandez-Moreno and Rumualdo were found in the stolen Mazda at the Echo Trails Apartment complex. They were immediately taken into custody.
The Tulsa Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gina S. Gilmore, Joel-lyn A. McCormick, and Thomas E. Buscemi prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Man Sentenced to 300 Months in prison for a 2017 Claremore MurderRead the Press Release
A defendant was sentenced Tuesday in federal court for killing a man with a machete in Claremore in 2017, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Michael Eugene Spears, 59, of Claremore, to 300 months in prison for the second degree murder of victim Mark McKinney. Following his prison sentence, he will spend five years on supervised release.
“The defendant’s murderous act and attempted cover-up earned him a 25-year federal prison sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The dedicated work of the Claremore Police Department, FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tom Duncombe and Justin Bish have ensured justice for the victim and his family. I am proud of their resolve to hold accountable those who commit brutal acts of violence in our communities.”
"Today's sentencing brings to an end a tragic story of cold-blooded murder and an attempted cover-up by a merciless and violent criminal," said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. "Thanks to a determined investigation by the FBI, Claremore Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Oklahoma, Spears will be held accountable for his heinous crime."
The murder occurred following a disagreement between the two men on Nov. 18, 2017, in a trailer owned by Spears’ sister. Sometime after the brutal attack, Spears told a relative about his crime and asked to borrow a truck so he could transport the victim’s body to a lake, where he planned to dispose of it. A relative reported the crime to law enforcement the next morning and the victim’s body was recovered from the trailer.
Prosecutors argued for a sentence of 30 years in prison, given the brutal nature of the murder. In particular, prosecutors noted how the defendant had stabbed the victim repeatedly with the sixteen-inch-blade weapon, beat him until he was unrecognizable, took his phone and the few dollars in his pocket, and left him to die on the floor while Spears spent hours drinking.
The defense argued for a sentence of 15 years, contending that Spears’ years of alcoholism, his troubled childhood, his issues with judgment and impulse control, and evidence of cognitive decline showed a lower sentence was appropriate. The defense also pointed to Spears’ lack of criminal history and contended that Spears may have acted in self-defense.
Prosecutors noted that the defendant’s issues with impulse control and judgment were the very reasons he continued to pose a danger to the public and that the evidence at the crime scene in no way corroborated Spears’ claims of self-defense.
The FBI and Claremore Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas E. Duncombe and Justin G. Bish prosecuted the case.
Spears was previously charged and convicted of first degree murder in Rogers County District Court. Because the defendant is a tribal citizen and the crime occurred within the Cherokee Nation reservation, his state conviction was vacated following the Supreme Court’s McGirt v. Oklahoma decision and subsequent other court decisions. The U.S. Attorney’s Office then prosecuted the case. First degree murder under Oklahoma law has similar elements to the federal crime of second degree murder.
Former Chief Financial Officer Pleads Guilty for Failing to Pay over $3.6M in Employee Tax Withholdings and for Pocketing $130,000 from his Employer’s Bank AccountRead the Press Release
A former chief financial officer for a company with offices in Oklahoma pleaded guilty in federal court after failing to pay over to the IRS $3.6 million in income and FICA tax withholdings and for embezzling more than $130,000 from the company.
Paul B. Bowker, 60, a British national, fled the United States three years ago after being charged with the crimes. The U.S. Attorney’s Office eventually received a tip that led to Bowker’s arrest by local authorities in the United Kingdom. The Justice Department's Office of International Affairs worked with officials from the United Kingdom to ensure Bowker's extradition to the United States for prosecution.
Today, Bowker pleaded guilty to one count of failure to account for and pay over withholding and FICA (Social Security) taxes and one count of bank fraud. A federal judge will sentence Bowker at a later date.
At the time of the crime, Bowker was the chief financial officer and vice president of finance at a company that maintained offices in the Northern District of Oklahoma. In his role at the company, Bowker was responsible for withholding income taxes and FICA taxes from employees’ paychecks and for paying the monies over to the IRS. According to court document, from April 2014 through January 2016, Bowker withheld the funds but willfully failed to file quarterly employment tax returns for the company and failed to pay over the majority of the employment taxes owed to the IRS, totaling nearly $3.6 million. During the investigation, agents discovered that the defendant had not embezzled the tax monies that he willfully neglected to pay, and the IRS was able to recover the funds.
Bowker also committed bank fraud as the company’s chief financial officer. In his position, Bowker was entrusted with a company’s Visa credit card and was responsible for paying the monthly credit card bill by authorizing the electronic transfer of funds from the company’s checking account at Mabrey Bank, in Bixby, to the company’s Visa account. From January 2014 through December 2015, Bowker fraudulently used the Visa credit card to make $130,000 worth of purchases for his own benefit. Bowker purchased items at drug stores, department stores, online retailers, furniture stores, gas stations, and liquor stores. He paid for the Visa charges with funds from the company’s checking account at Mabrey Bank.
Bowker did this by calling the credit card processor and authorizing a one-time electronic transfer from Mabrey Bank to pay the credit card bill. By authorizing the payment via telephone, Bowker was able to avoid the company’s two-signature requirement on company checks.
IRS/Criminal Investigation and the FBI conducted the investigation. The Department of Justice Office of International Affairs coordinated the defendant’s extradition. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard M. Cella and recently retired Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. McLoughlin prosecuted the case.