Northern District of Oklahoma
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Tulsa “Peeping Tom” Sentenced to 240 Months in Federal Prison for Sex CrimesRead the Press Release
A Tulsa man who repeatedly broke into homes, attempted to sexually assault two victims, and later solicited a 16-year-old for child pornography was sentenced Wednesday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan sentenced Jesse Thomas Moore, 20, to 240 months in federal prison followed by 10 years of supervised release.
Moore previously pleaded guilty to: lewd acts with a child under 16 in Indian Country; three counts of burglary in the first degree in Indian Country; attempted sexual abuse by threat in Indian Country; Coercion and Enticement of a Minor; Attempted Production of Child Pornography; and Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography.
“Jesse Moore broke into homes, attempted to sexually assault two victims, and pressured a minor into sending sexually explicit images of herself to him while he was detained pending court proceedings,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The defendant’s alarming criminal acts are that of a sexual predator. It is thanks to the relentless work of Tulsa Police Detectives and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn McCormick that Moore can no longer victimize women and children in Tulsa.”
At the sentencing hearing, victims detailed the impact of Moore’s crimes. Each spoke about the continued disruption to their lives in the form of: paranoia of being watched and followed even within their own homes, the compulsion to ensure doors and windows are always locked, fear of people and sounds and other debilitating psychological traumas.
According to court documents, on May 5, 2020, Moore broke into a home on South Florence Avenue where a child was sleeping. Once inside, Moore entered the victim’s room and started to masturbate. He then tried to get the minor to go to the bathroom with him. When the victim resisted, he slung ejaculate toward the victim then left the residence.
On Nov. 8, 2020, he broke into a home on South Urbana Place with intent to commit a lewd act with a child. Shortly after 7:30 p.m., he entered the backyard of the residence and entered the home through the back door. When the child saw Moore, he screamed. Moore then fled the home. The mother of the child told investigators Moore had been in her back yard and looked into her windows at other times starting in October 2020.
On Dec. 13, 2020, Moore also broke into a home on South Evanston Avenue. Once inside, he discovered the victim and a male sleeping in a bedroom. He began touching the victim, causing her to awaken. He then threatened the victim by stating, “Get the f*** up and don’t say anything or I’ll f***ing kill you.” Moore forced the woman to the living room where he attempted to rape her. As Moore covered her mouth, the victim bit his right hand, causing him to let go and flee the scene.
Video obtained by officers showed Moore stepping onto the front porch, unscrewing the porch light then entering the South Evanston residence at 6:36 a.m. Then video showed Moore exiting the residence at 7:18 a.m., after the attempted rape. The crime occurred after multiple incidents where Moore peered into windows of the same residence earlier in the week.
The defendant was arrested by the Tulsa Police Department and charged for the crimes.
While in custody awaiting trial for charges related to the Peeping Tom incidents, Moore began accessing the program JailATM by means of a stationary kiosk or portable smart pad in order to video chat or message with a 16-year-old female whom he referred to as his girlfriend.
During conversations that occurred from Aug. 1, 2021, to Aug. 19, 2021, Moore repeatedly pressured the minor for sexually explicit video and images of herself and to engage in sexually explicit behavior while the two video chatted. The minor attempted to send some pre-recorded videos. Moore received at least one video while others were auto rejected by the system. On multiple occasions, Moore told the minor to figure out how to send the videos differently, like she did before, so they would not be rejected. During one video chat, Moore convinced the minor to engage in sexually explicit behavior.
The Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick prosecuted the case.
Owasso Man Pleads Guilty to Second Degree Murder After Fatal Meth Fueled Auto CollisionRead the Press Release
An Owasso man who drove under the influence of methamphetamine and caused a crash that killed another driver pleaded guilty in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Bradley Wade Wofford, 35, pleaded guilty to second degree felony murder in Indian Country on June 15, 2022.
On June 10, 2019, Wofford was driving a Ford F-150 on U.S. 412 near County Road 4180 when an accident further down the road caused traffic to slow. Wofford failed to follow suit and rear-ended victim Scotty Dilbeck’s Volkswagon, killing him. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol calculated that Wofford had been driving approximately 66 mph when he struck Dilbeck, who was driving 11 mph.
Prior to the collision, Wofford had also been convicted of driving under the influence.
The FBI and Oklahoma Highway Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Buscemi is prosecuting the case.
Methamphetamine Distributor Sentenced to 188 Months in Prison for Drug Conspiracy Involving Postal CarriersRead the Press Release
A drug dealer who worked with postal carriers to conduct a methamphetamine drug conspiracy was sentenced Thursday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Chief U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III sentenced Kamau Jahi Williams, 43, of Tulsa, to 188 months in federal prison followed by 10 years of supervised release.
Starting as early as December 2019 and continuing to October 2021, the defendant conspired with others to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Williams admitted in his plea agreement to purchasing methamphetamine from a source of supply in California and redistributing the drug to third parties in Tulsa. His source of supply normally fronted the methamphetamine for Williams. After Williams received payment from customers, he would pay the source of supply.
According to court documents, Williams ran the operation in the Northern District of Oklahoma with the support of several postal workers. As part of the conspiracy, Williams’ source in California mailed shipments of methamphetamine to an abandoned Tulsa address through the U.S. Postal Service. Several postal carriers allegedly intercepted those packages. As part of the conspiracy, they marked the packages as delivered and then would meet Williams at various locations in Tulsa to deliver the methamphetamine packages.
In September 2021, a federal jury convicted Williams in a separate drug conspiracy. In that case, Williams was sentenced to 77 months in federal prison for Distribution of Methamphetamine, Drug Conspiracy, and Distribution of Heroin. The two federal sentences will run concurrently.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn McCormick prosecuted the case.
United States Attorneys’ Joint Statement Regarding United States Supreme Court Decision in Oklahoma v. Castro-HuertaRead the Press Release
This morning the United States Supreme Court issued its decision in Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta. This decision holds that the State of Oklahoma has concurrent jurisdiction with the federal government to prosecute non-Indians who commit crimes against Indian victims within Indian Country.
“Today’s decision does not diminish the United States’ trust responsibility to our tribal partners,” said United States Attorneys Christopher J. Wilson, Clinton J. Johnson, and Robert J. Troester. “The United States Attorney’s Offices in the Eastern, Northern, and Western Districts of Oklahoma will continue to enforce federal law in Indian Country. We will also continue to coordinate and cooperate with our state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners as well as state and tribal prosecutors to promote public safety and provide justice to all Oklahomans in Indian Country.”
Miami Man Pleads Guilty to Multiple Drug and Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
A man who was arrested three times since 2019 for methamphetamine and firearms violations pleaded guilty Monday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Richard Alan Stewart, 50, of Miami, pleaded guilty to three counts of Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition; three counts of Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Stewart, a convicted felon, brandished or possessed firearms on at least three different occasions along with methamphetamine that he intended to sell.
On Nov. 13, 2019, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper stopped Stewart for a traffic violation. The trooper conducted a search of the car which revealed zip-lock bags of methamphetamine and pills along with a Spike’s Tactical multi-caliber semi-automatic rifle, which is an AR 15. Later, a search was conducted at Stewart’s home where law enforcement discovered 92 grams of methamphetamine.
On March 18, 2021, task force officers conducted a search of Stewart’s residence based on a tip that Stewart continued to traffic large quantities of methamphetamine. When officers confronted Stewart in the home, he drew a stolen Smith & Wesson .380 caliber pistol and pointed it at them. Officers forcibly removed the gun from Stewart’s hand and arrested him. During the search, officers found the following items:
-one black bag containing a large amount of methamphetamine, a loaded Smith
& Wesson .45 caliber revolver, digital scales, and a baggie with yellow pills;
-one black bag with bundles of U.S. Currency totaling $39,350;
-one Heritage .22 caliber revolver
-two additional bags of methamphetamine
-glass pipes
-additional U.S. currency
In total, officers located 1.4 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Finally, on May 17, 2021, Grove City Police officer pulled Stewart over for a traffic violation and conducted a search of the vehicle, which revealed 670 grams of methamphetamine, a glass pipe, a Ruger EC9s 9mm caliber pistol, and seven rounds of ammunition.
In total, law enforcement recovered five illegally-obtained firearms, ammunition, more than 2 kilograms of methamphetamine, and more than $40,000 from the investigation.
Stewart did not cooperate with law enforcement during the investigations. Stewart faces a 17-year sentence for the possession and brandishing of firearms charges and an additional 10 year sentence for distribution of controlled substances. Once sentenced, Stewart will serve a minimum of 27 years in federal prison.
This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Pullin Chains, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, 13th District Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, and Grove City Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle M. McWaters is prosecuting the case.
Miami Man Sentenced for Assaulting and Paralyzing a Vo-Tech ClassmateRead the Press Release
A man was sentenced Friday in federal court for a 2017 attack in which he picked up a fellow student and slammed the student’s head onto the ground, leaving him paralyzed, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Jace Christian Williams, 23, of Miami, Oklahoma, to 51 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Frizzell will determine restitution at an Aug. 26 hearing.
Prosecutors had argued for a ten year federal prison sentence, which is an upward departure from the federal sentencing guidelines. Prosecutors stated that both the extreme nature of Williams’ criminal conduct and the victim’s resulting physical and mental suffering warranted the departure.
“Jace Williams’ intentional, violent attack has forever changed the life of the victim in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “His egregious actions are inexcusable. This type of criminal conduct cannot and will not be tolerated.”
"In a cowardly attack, Mr. Williams blindsided and paralyzed a fellow student, then remorselessly bragged about his crime," said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. "We hope that today's sentence serves as a warning for other individuals who think they can harm their fellow citizens without facing any repercussions."
In February, a federal jury found Williams guilty of maiming in Indian Country and assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country.
The victim and defendant attended the same technical school in Afton and knew one another prior to the incident. In the days leading up to the crime, Williams repeatedly expressed anger toward the victim because he felt the victim had interfered and ruined Williams’ chances of having a sexual encounter with two women. Williams went as far as to tell one student that he would to make sure the victim couldn’t “use his arms or legs for five months.”
On Nov. 3, 2017, a classmate drove Williams and two friends to E. 200 Rd in Afton, in order to watch an unrelated fight between two different men. After arriving, the driver remained in his truck, scrolling through his phone. Other students, including the victim, also drove to the location in order to watch the fight.
While the victim and other students assembled in a circle waiting for the fight to begin, multiple witnesses from different vantage points saw Williams suddenly attack the victim from behind.
In a maneuver similar to what is commonly referred to as a “suplex”, Williams wrapped his arms around the victim’s body, lifted him backward and slammed him head-first onto the ground. While the victim was on his stomach on the ground, Williams proceeded to spat on the victim and repeatedly punch him in the back.
Williams’ two friends then returned to the truck and told the driver Williams had jumped the victim and that it was bad. Soon after, Williams returned to the truck, breathing heavily, and demanded the driver take him home. The driver testified that Williams ripped off his own shirt and bragged that what he had done to the victim was “fun” and that he wanted to do it again. The driver said he feared the defendant at that point and complied.
A witness to the crime called 911 and waited for paramedics to arrive. The victim was transported to a hospital in Joplin, Missouri. The victim sustained a C6-7 fracture-subluxation with bilateral locked facets and paralysis. As a result of the injuries inflicted by Williams, the victim is a quadriplegic.
The crime occurred within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation reservation. The FBI and Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard M. Cella and Brandon A. Skates prosecuted the case.
Federal Grand Jury B Indictments Announced- June 2022Read the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the June 2022 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.
Jacob William Paul Coombes. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Coombes, 27, of Cushing, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Glock .45 caliber pistol and seven rounds of ammunition. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Quapaw Nation Marshal Service are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Rubens is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-189
Christopher Daniel Gilliam. Assault of a Spouse or Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country (Counts 1, 3); Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding (Misdemeanor) (Counts 2,4). Gilliam is charged with strangling and beating an intimate/dating partner on Dec. 2, 2021. Gilliam is further charged with strangling and beating a second intimate partner on June 6, 2022. The FBI, Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department, and Creek County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Briden is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-183
Jordan James Hodges. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Receipt of Stolen Property in Indian Country in Excess of $1,000. Hodges, 32, of Moore, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Remington .22 caliber semi-automatic rifle with a Bushnell scope and 35 rounds of ammunition on May 19, 2020. He is further charged with stealing an All-Terrain Vehicle, which was valued in excess of $1,000. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, and Oklahoma Department of Agriculture are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-184
Steven Alberto Juarez. Second Degree Murder in Indian Country. Juarez, 19, of Tulsa, is alleged to have intentionally run over Orlando Lorenz Lays Bad with his vehicle on May 20, 2022. The victim died at the scene. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon A. Skates is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-185
Millard Ray Laskey. Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Maiming in Indian Country. Laskey, 51, of Bristow, allegedly assaulted the victim with a Bluetooth speaker and machete on May 21, 2022. He is further charged with maiming the defendant during the assault. The FBI, Bristow Police Department, and Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-186
Justin Eli Muncy. Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor; Commission of Felony Sex Offense Involving a Minor by a Registered Sex Offender. Muncy, 45, of Lawton, allegedly attempted to coerce an individual he believed to be a minor into engaging in sexual activity from Jan. 27, 2022 to April 14, 2022. Instead, he was messaging an undercover agent. Muncy committed the alleged crime while he was a registered sex offender. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah Paisner is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-187
Jordan Tyler Nunn. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition (Counts 1-3). Nunn, 32, of Tulsa, allegedly was a felon in possession of a Ruger 9mm Luger caliber semi-automatic pistol and 12 rounds of ammunition on July 29, 2021. He is also charged with possession of a Taurus Armas 9mm Luger caliber semi-automatic pistol 12 rounds of ammunition on March 8, 2022. Finally, he is charged with possession of a Samsun Domestic Defense and Industry Corporation (Canik) 9x19 caliber semi-automatic pistol and 15 rounds of ammunition on June 1, 2022. The investigative agencies are the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Tulsa Police Department and Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Valeria Luster is prosecuting the case.
Joshua Lee Ortiz-Hernandez. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor (Counts 1); Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country (Counts 2-4); Production of Child Pornography (Count 5); Possession of Child Pornography (Counts 6). Ortiz-Hernandez, 36, allegedly sexually abused a minor between the ages of 12 and 16 on June 5, 2022. He is also charged with producing and possessing visual depictions of the alleged abuse. The investigative agencies are the FBI and Pryor Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Valeria Luster is prosecuting the case.
Joshua Cain Roets. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Roets, 34, transient, is charged with assaulting the victim with a knife on May 29, 2022. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Briden is prosecuting the case.
Richard Alan Sisney. Receipt and Distribution of a Visual Depiction of a Minor Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct; Possession of a Visual Depiction of a Minor Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct; Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography; Distribution of Child Pornography. Sisney, 68, of Tulsa, allegedly received, possessed, and distributed child pornography from May 29, 2021 to May 20, 2022. The investigative agency is the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle McWaters is prosecuting the case.
Brandon Michael Smart. Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country. Smart, 33, of Tulsa, allegedly strangled an intimate/dating partner on June 8, 2022. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Briden is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-196
Tulsa Man Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Sexually Abusing a ChildRead the Press Release
A man who sexually abused a child for almost two years, starting when she was approximately six, was sentenced in federal court.
“Edward Parson repeatedly targeted, intimidated and sexually assaulted a vulnerable child,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “He’ll now spend the remainder of his life in a federal prison where he can no longer prey upon children."
U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan sentenced Edward Joseph Parson, 31, of Tulsa, to life in prison on June 10, 2022. In December, Parson was convicted by a federal jury of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country. Beginning in approximately 2017 and continuing through most of 2018, Parson repeatedly sexually abused the child.
"Mr. Parson's abhorrent crimes against a child were facilitated by the cowardly silence of individuals who attempted to conceal his despicable acts," said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. "The FBI applauds the caregivers who disclosed these crimes to law enforcement. Alongside our police partners and federal prosecutors, the FBI will continue to protect our children from predators."
In a court documents prosecutors described the repeated sexual abuse inflicted on the child and explained how Parson kept the child quiet and afraid for some time. According to the child’s testimony, Parson would hit her on the face and arms, “grab her by the neck until her body became tired,” and harm her pet. Prosecutors further explained that when the child first disclosed the sexual abuse to an adult, Parson convinced the adult to remain quiet about the abuse. He continued his attempts to discredit the victim when she disclosed to others. Unfortunately, the first adults she spoke to tried to silence her.
Five months later, when she was safely placed with new caregivers, she disclosed a portion of the abuse again. Her new caregivers called authorities. The victim was later interviewed by child specialists at the Children’s Advocacy Center. During those interviews she disclosed multiple instances of physical abuse and extensive sexual abuse. According to a child sexual abuse expert who testified at trial, children often do not disclose sexual abuse immediately. When children do disclose, they frequently do so in pieces over time as they become more comfortable and as they are met with acceptance and support.
Prosecutors further discussed in court documents the long-term effects of childhood trauma. They stated that the impact of the abuse the victim suffered would likely ripple across her life.
When a child suffers numerous adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), it may eventually lead to altered brain chemistry and architecture, depression, anxiety, chronic diseases, drug and alcohol abuse, unhealthy future sexual experiences, or other struggles in adolescence and throughout adulthood. The trauma can also lead to decreased life expectancy. ACE’s include verbal, sexual, and physical abuse; neglect; domestic violence; household substance abuse; household mental illness; incarcerated household members; the death of a loved one; parental separation or divorce; community violence and more.
According to the CDC, enhanced primary care, victim-centered services, treatment to address ACEs, and other early supports can help lessen the long-term effects of ACEs.
Learn more about ACEs and strategies to prevent or lessen their effects here.
The defendant and victim are citizens of the Cherokee Nation and the crimes occurred within the nation’s reservation. The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chantelle D. Dial and Vani Singhal prosecuted the case.
Couple who Fraudulently Obtained Almost $743,000 in Paycheck Protection Program Loan Scheme Pleads Guilty in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
A Tulsa couple who fraudulently applied for approximately $2.7 million in Paycheck Protection Program Loans pleaded guilty this week in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans are guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the CARES Act.TULSA, Okla. – A Tulsa couple who fraudulently applied for approximately $2.7 million in Paycheck Protection Program Loans pleaded guilty this week in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans are guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the CARES Act.
William Mark Sullivan, 49, and his wife, Michelle Cadman-Sullivan, 42, each pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud this week. The plea agreements call for the defendants to pay restitution in the amount of $114,281.58 to Arvest Bank and $628,645.00 to Exchange Bank, totaling $742,926.58, which represents the proceeds illegally obtained by the defendants as a result of the offenses. A federal judge will determine appropriate sentences and restitution amounts at the defendants’ sentencing hearings, which will be scheduled by the court.
“The Sullivans applied for and secured numerous Paycheck Protection Program loans fraudulently,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The $743,000 was intended to go to legitimate small business owners who were fighting to serve our community. My office and our federal law enforcement partners will hold accountable anyone who seeks to illegally enrich themselves by misdirecting federal emergency assistance.”
“SBA OIG continues to safeguard SBA programs from persons seeking to fraudulently take advantage through falsified information,” said SBA OIG’s Central Region Special Agent in Charge Sharon Johnson. “Our office relentlessly pursues fraudsters who seek to exploit SBA’s vital economic programs. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and commitment to seeing justice served.”
In their plea agreements, the Sullivans stated that between April 8, 2020 and May 11, 2020, they conspired together to submit false statements and reports to Arvest Bank and Exchange Bank when they applied for numerous Paycheck Protection Program loans, totaling approximately $2.7 million. The Sullivans submitted false information, false W2s, false Form 941s and false 2019 IRS Schedule Cs (Form 1040) in six Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications. They further stated that they had knowingly certified all the information in the applications and supporting documents were true and correct when they knew the information to be incorrect. The couple admitted to transferring the $742,926.50 in funds they received through various bank accounts and using the funds for personal expenses.
Mr. Sullivan stated in his plea agreement that he had represented on applications that “Oklahoma Paving” had an average monthly payroll of $50,546.41 on April 8, 2020, and “USA-1 Construction” had an average monthly payroll of $143,483.00 on April 30, 2020.
Similarly, Mrs. Sullivan stated that in their PPP loan applications, she falsely represented that “U.S. Central Construction” had an average monthly payroll of $26,053.00 on April 28, 2020; “Oklahoma Energy” had an average monthly payroll of $279,101.66 on May 4, 2020; “Oklahoma Paving” had an average monthly payroll of $279,101.66 on May 4, 2020; and “Oklahoma Energy” had an average monthly payroll of $251,458.00 on May 11, 2020.
The indictment alleged the couple had misrepresented the number of businesses they owned and operated, addresses and locations of the borrowing companies, time during which the borrowing companies had purportedly been in operation, number of employees, names and addresses of employees, monthly payroll amount, wage figures, payroll taxes, and representations about how the PPP funds would be allocated. The couple submitted multiple applications for the same borrowing companies to both of the banks, without disclosing that they were submitting duplicative and overlapping applications.
“These pleadings demonstrate that those who defraud the federal government of pandemic relief funds will be vigorously pursued and held accountable for their actions,” said Cory Nootnagel, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Western Region, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.
The Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration; and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cymetra M. Williams and Matthew Feeley are prosecuting the case.
To learn more about the Justice Department’s COVID response, 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.
To report a COVID-19-related fraud scheme or suspicious activity, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) by calling the NCDF Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form
Woman Sentenced for Leading a Paycheck Protection Program Loan SchemeRead the Press Release
A Tulsa woman who led two others in a scheme to apply for almost $800,000 in Paycheck Protection Program loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration under the CARES Act was sentenced Tuesday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Aleta Necole Thomas, 43, to 30 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. In total, Thomas and her two codefendants will pay restitution in the amount of $774,753.50. The government previously seized $209, 991.11 from bank accounts held by Thomas pursuant to federal seizure warrants, which will go toward restitution.
“Individuals who steal funds from federal programs meant to help sustain Americans in times of need will face justice,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Aleta Thomas’ 30-month prison sentence should serve as a warning to other like-minded criminals that white collar crime doesn’t pay.”
“This sentencing sends a clear message that those who defraud the federal government of pandemic relief funds for their own personal gain will be brought to justice,” said Cory Nootnagel, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Western Region, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. “I want to thank all our federal law enforcement partners for their hard work that led to this result.”
Thomas previously pleaded guilty to two counts of making false statements to a financial institution.
In her plea agreement, Thomas stated that on May 27, 2020, she submitted false statements and reports to Cross River Bank when she applied for a Paycheck Protection Program loan. Thomas submitted a borrower application form falsely stating “Coming Correct Community Ministry” had an average monthly payroll of $35,000 and was in operation since Feb. 15, 2020. Thomas further claimed that she had 26 employees for whom she paid payroll taxes or independent contractors as reports in IRS Form 1099-MISC. Thomas also falsely certified that all information in the application and supporting documents was correct and submitted documentation that included forged bank statements and false 2019 IRS Schedule C (Form 1040).
Thomas further stated that on June 16, 2020, she submitted false statements and reports to First Electronic Bank when she applied for another Paycheck Protection Program loan where she made similar claims.
Thomas will self-surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility on July 20, 2022.
The other two defendants charged and convicted for taking part in the scheme were Katrina West, 39, and Pepper Jones, 42.
See the press release regarding the three defendant’s plea agreements here.
The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration; Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin Harrington and Cymetra Williams are 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.
Federal Grand Jury A Indictments Announced- June 2022Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the June 2022 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.
Joseph Scott Bennett. Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition; Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under 12 Years of Age in Indian Country; Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child Under 12 Years of Age. Bennett, 36, of Ramona, was charged with being a felon in possession of an AJ Stevens Arms Company .410 shotgun and 65 rounds of ammunition. Bennett was previously convicted of lewd molestation in Washington County in 2006. Bennett is further charged with sexually abusing a child younger than 12 years old from Jan. 1, 2016, to July 15, 2019. The FBI and Bartlesville Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-174
James Arthur Berry. Assault of a Spouse by Strangling in Indian Country. Berry, 30, of Tulsa, is charged with assaulting the victim by strangling her on April 22, 2022. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-159
Tye Dean Lewis Ross Cody. Second Degree Murder in Indian Country; Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country (second superseding). Cody, 21, of Nowata, was allegedly speeding and unlawfully passed another vehicle. Cody’s vehicle struck one motorist’s vehicle as he attempted to pass it and then collided head-on with a second vehicle, killing Leonard Logan Ladd. The incident occurred on May 28, 2020, in Nowata County. The FBI and Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon A. Skates is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-63
Colton John Durr. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Durr, 23, of Claremore, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Glock 9mm caliber pistol and eight rounds of ammunition. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Claremore Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-171
Keith Charles Eisenberger. Cyberstalking; Threatening to Kidnap and Assault a Member of Congress; Threatening to Kidnap and Assault the Spouse of a Member of Congress. Eisenberger 39, of Bartlesville, is charged with cyberstalking U.S. Representative Kevin Hern from Nov. 27, 2018, to May 11, 2022. He is further charged with threatening to kidnap and assault Hern and his wife on May 11, 2022. Eisenberger was initially charged by criminal complaint in May. The FBI and Bartlesville Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-175
Bradley Wayne Gillum. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Gillum, 27, of Locust Grove, is charged with stabbing the victim in the abdomen with a knife on May 5, 2022. The FBI, Mayes County Sheriff’s Office, and Locust Grove Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle M. McWaters is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-160
Elga Eugene Harper. 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; Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country. On May 4, 2022, Harper, 40, of Tulsa, is alleged to have held an elderly woman against her will and physically and sexually assaulted her. The victim had previously hired Harper to help around her house. The victim suffered extensive injuries to her face, head, neck, arms, hands, legs and continues to receive treatment. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chantelle D. Dial is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-170
Kovon Daylan Hemphill. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. On Nov. 11, 2021, Hemphill, 30, of Tulsa, attempted to stab the victim, a Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office deputy, with a knife. The defendant allegedly resisted arrest, pulling out a pocket knife and attempting to stab the deputy. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Brasher is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-176
Aubrey Tyrone Elliot Lewis. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Lewis is charged with being a felon in possession of an Intratec 9 mm Luger caliber semi-automatic pistol and 29 rounds of ammunition. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Bixby Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric O. Johnston is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-161
Stephen Boyd Mosby. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. On May 17, 2022, Mosby, 52, of Claremore, allegedly assaulted the victim when he brandished and discharged his firearm in the victim’s presence. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Ihler is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-176
Forrest Sensei Mullin. Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling, and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country. Mullin, 27, of Afton, is charged with strangling his intimate/dating partner on July 2, 2019. The FBI and Delaware County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon A. Skates is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-162
Shannon Don Onthehill. Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling, Suffocating, and Attempting to Strangle and Suffocate in Indian Country. Onthehill, 47, of Claremore, allegedly strangled a dating partner, causing her to lose consciousness, on Jan. 18, 2020. The FBI and Claremore Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan H. Heatherman is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-159
Soledad Perezchica, Christian Perezchica. Attempted Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. Soledad Perezchica, 46, and Christian Perezchica, 26, both of Tulsa, allegedly aided and abetted each other to attempt to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams of methamphetamine. They are further charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams of methamphetamine and with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Finally, they are charged with using and maintaining a residence for the purpose of possessing with intent to distribute the two drugs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-179
Christopher Scott Royce. Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition; Drug Conspiracy; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. Royce, 42, of Broken Arrow, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Marlin, 30/30 caliber lever-action rifle; a Mauser bolt-action rifle; a Iver Johnson .22 caliber bolt-action rifle; a Ruger .22 caliber revolver; a Ruger .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol; a Taurus .22 caliber pistol and 22 rounds of ammunition. He is further charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Lastly, he is charged with maintaining a place in Broken Arrow for the purpose of distributing the drug. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Broken Arrow Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Nasar is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-163
Bryant Danilo Sosa. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Sosa, 23, of Tulsa, is charged with assaulting an intimate partner by stabbing her with a knife on May 22, 2022. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie A Childress is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-154
Misty Dawn Sparkman. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Sparkman, 38, of Tulsa, is charged with stabbing the male victim in the neck and chest with a knife on Feb. 16, 2022. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah Paisner is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-168
Johnny Lee Summers. Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force and Threat in Indian Country; Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling in Indian Country; Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country; Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country; Coercion and Enticement of a Minor in Indian Country; Witness Tampering by Threatening Physical Force. Summers allegedly sexually assaulted an intimate partner between February 2021 and January 2022. During that time, he also strangled the victim. He is further alleged to have enticed and sexually abused a female minor between the ages of 12 and 16. Finally, in January 2022, Summers threatened to use physical force against his intimate partner in an effort to stop her from speaking with law enforcement about the child enticement allegation. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle M. McWaters is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-155
Garrin Michael Thompson. Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity; Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under 12 Years of Age in Indian Country; Coercion and Enticement of a Minor (superseding). From March 4, 2022, to March 7, 2022, Thompson, 48, of Catoosa, is alleged to have taken a child from Oklahoma to Texas, where he sexually abused the child. He is also alleged to have sexually abused a second minor younger than 12 years of age from 2007 to 2009. Finally, he is charged with enticing a third minor victim to engage in sexual activity from 2000 to 2001. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cheryl Baber and Edward Snow are prosecuting the case. 22-cr-118
Devan Miguel Velasco. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Child Neglect in Indian Country. Velasco, 24, of Tulsa, is charged with assaulting two victims by brandishing and pointing a firearm at them on May 13, 2022. He also allegedly endangered a young child by failing to provide appropriate supervision and failing to protect the child from exposure to his illegal acts. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Ihler is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-155
James Dean Wright. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Felon in Possession of Ammunition. Wright, 59, of Tulsa, allegedly discharged a firearm at the victim, a Tulsa Police Officer. Wright is also charged with being a felon in possession of 62 rounds of ammunition. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan E. Michel is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-167
Stilwell Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Sexually Abusing a MinorRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. –A Stilwell man who sexually abused a minor during a 2017 road trip was sentenced Friday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Chief U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III sentenced David Anthony RomanNose, 45, to life in federal prison for aggravated sexual abuse by force and threat in Indian Country and 180 months in prison for sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country.
“David RomanNose exploited the trust and friendship of a 12-year-old child. The victim’s testimony about the abuse she endured helped prevent the defendant from continuing to prey on other children,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The collaboration and exemplary work from our partners at the FBI, Oneida Indian Nation Police Department and Craig County Sheriff’s Office ensured that RomanNose was held responsible for his crimes.”
"The reprehensible crimes committed by Mr. RomanNose against a minor reveal his repulsive and vile character," said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. "The spectacular bravery displayed by the victim-- in combination with the partnerships between federal, tribal, and state law enforcement-- brought Mr. RomanNose to justice. The FBI and our police partners will continue to fight against predators who prey on our Oklahoma community."
On July 4, 2017, RomanNose, accompanied a group who were traveling through northeastern Oklahoma after attending a festival in Seiling. While traveling, RomanNose sexually abused the victim in the backseat of the vehicle. The violation occurred in Indian Country on the Will Rogers Turnpike/Interstate Highway I-44 near Vinita. RomanNose also abused the minor, an Oneida Indian Nation citizen, after the group arrived home in New York.
During the trial, family members testified that following the road trip, the victim’s behavior changed dramatically. They stated that she became more withdrawn and started acting out. Unexplained changes in children’s behavior can be indicative of child sexual abuse. The victim eventually disclosed the abuse to a counselor and family member.
RomanNose remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI, Oneida Indian Nation Police Department, Craig County Sheriff’s Office, and the Craig County District Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gina S. Gilmore and Stacey P. Todd are prosecuting the case.
*Note: the spelling of the defendant’s last name was clarified in court today as RomanNose. It was spelled Romannose in previous press releases.
Tulsa Man Sentenced for Defrauding Investor and Banks of MillionsRead the Press Release
A man who defrauded an investor and two banks out of at least $8.4 million was sentenced Wednesday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Chief U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III sentenced William Brian Mulder, 64, of Tulsa to 84 months in federal prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. He was further ordered to pay to pay $4.5 million in restitution to the investor and $3.9 million in restitution to Firstar Bank and BancFirst.
“William Mulder portrayed himself as a successful investor, trusted mentor and friend, but it was a façade. Instead, he was a con artist who defrauded his friends and banks for years in an effort to sustain a lifestyle beyond his means,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This 7-year sentence reflects the egregious nature of the defendant’s longstanding criminal deceit. Our federal law enforcement partners are to be commended for exposing Mulder’s elaborate web of lies and ensuring justice for the victims in this case.”
“To support his extravagant lifestyle, Mr. Mulder meticulously deceived victims based in our community for years,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “Mulder’s sprawling web of lies and fraud was only untangled through the tenacious effort of FBI agents working in partnership with investigators from the IRS, Treasury Department, and FDIC. Mr. Mulder’s sentence should give pause to other con-men seeking to defraud Oklahoma citizens and businesses.”
“William Mulder used deceit and trickery to defraud trusting friends and investors of their hard-earned money,” said Christopher J. Altemus, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Dallas Field Office. “IRS-CI special agents are committed to using their forensic accounting skills to help unravel complex fraud and money laundering schemes. Today's sentencing demonstrates how federal law enforcement will band together to help put an end to the criminal behavior of those who prey on investors for their own financial gain.”
On Oct. 19, 2021, Mulder pleaded guilty to causing the interstate transmission of moneys taken by fraud and money laundering. He was set to begin trial at the time but opted to plead guilty instead.
According to court documents, Mulder misrepresented himself as worth millions to friends. Mulder told several individuals that a wealthy Missouri widow had left him over $100 million in a blind trust in appreciation for his services as an insurance salesman for the widow. In another story, he said he was the beneficiary of a different blind trust worth hundreds of millions of dollars from his father. Mulder convinced his friends that if they pooled their investments with his fortune, they could grow their money faster. The government asserted there were no investments made by Mulder on their behalf but instead, Mulder deposited checks into his personal bank accounts and used the funds to pay off credit card debts and to run a coffee shop chain.
To cover his tracks, Mulder created a web of convoluted rules and restrictions to keep the victims from seeing the progress of their investments. He also moved money between more than 60 bank accounts to make it difficult for the investors and law enforcement to follow the trail of money.
In his plea agreement, Mulder specifically admitted that beginning in 2000 and continuing through 2017, he received numerous checks totaling approximately $4.5 million from the investor, who was a local businessman and friend to Mulder. Mulder advised the victim to create a trust for his special needs son for which Mulder would be the trustee and have complete discretion and control. Mulder told the victim that he would prudently invest the funds on the son’s behalf. Instead, Mulder used the funds for his own personal expenses and to enrich himself.
Mulder also admitted that in December 2015, he fraudulently received a check from the victim in the amount of $142,500 and deposited funds from the check in the amount of $83,378.54 into his personal account, which he later used on a personal investment in generators in Missouri.
Further, Mulder admitted that he lied about his assets and submitted fabricated documents to obtain loans from Oklahoma banks in order to support a lifestyle he couldn’t afford on his own.
Prosecutors contended that Mulder applied for and received loans worth millions of dollars from five banks. From 2004 to 2014, Mulder obtained the loans by pledging phony collateral that included fictitious life insurance policies supposedly issued by Merrill Lynch that appeared to insure Mulder and his family members. Mulder used the same phony policy numbers with every new bank he swindled, adding new phony policies as he went. To secure each loan, he provided the banks with the same types of fabricated records and documents. On some of the documents, Mulder forged the signature of a former Merrill Lynch colleague. Mulder was able to pay off three of the banks by obtaining new loans from other banks. Ultimately, two banks— Firstbank and BancFirst— suffered about $3.9 million in losses.
Prosecutors asserted that Mulder further tried to impede the federal investigation into his criminal conduct by fabricating a story blaming one of his bankers for creating the fictitious life insurance policies in Mulder’s and his family members’ names. Agents debunked the claim based on the evidence that Mulder began his scheme long before he ever met the accused banker.
Mulder was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service and will be transferred to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Department of Treasury Office of Inspector General; and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas E. Duncombe, Vani Singhal, and Kevin C. Leitch prosecuted the case.
Tulsa Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for CarjackingRead the Press Release
A 21-year-old Tulsa man who took part in a violent but unsuccessful carjacking was sentenced Thursday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Billy Roy Wilson sentenced Dwight Vernon Leleux to 144 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. The defendant was further ordered to pay the victim $3, 229.09 in restitution for medical costs, to be paid jointly and severally with his co-defendant, Waylon Richard Goss.
“Dwight Leleux will spend 12 years in federal prison for his brazen acts of violence in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This Project Safe Neighborhoods prosecution is the result of close collaborative work between FBI agents, Tulsa police officers, and federal prosecutors who are all committed to reducing violent crime.”
"The FBI and our law enforcement partners are firmly committed to protecting neighborhoods from senseless, unprovoked crimes like Leleux's violent carjacking attempt," said Special Agent in Charge Edward Gray of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. "Today's sentence demonstrates that we won't tolerate this sort of criminal behavior here in Tulsa, nor anywhere throughout the state of Oklahoma."
On Dec. 8, 2021, Leleux pleaded guilty to carjacking and carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Leleux admitted that he and another individual used force when they attempted to carjack a Honda CR-V on March 5, 2021.
According to court documents, Leleux and his accomplice, Waylon Richard Goss, requested and received a ride from the victim. While in the back seat, Leleux first told Goss that he planned to rob the victim and showed Goss a .380 caliber semiautomatic pistol he was carrying in his waistband.
Once they stopped at the intended location, Leleux opened the driver’s door, pointed the firearm at the victim, hit him in the head and face with the firearm and his fists, and grabbed him by the throat. He demanded the victim hand over the vehicle, but the victim refused. Leleux and Goss then pulled the victim from the vehicle and continued assaulting him.
The victim was able to fight off his attackers and get back into the CR-V. Leleux then discharged his firearm at the vehicle’s right front tire as the victim drove away. The victim suffered significant cuts and swelling to his face and head and sought medical attention.
Goss, 20, of Tulsa, previously pleaded guilty to carjacking and was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Judge Wilson is a visiting judge from the Eastern District of Arkansas. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David D. Whipple prosecuted the case.
Federal Jury Convicts Claremore Man of 4 Counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor by Force and Threat in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
A federal jury today convicted a man for sexually abusing a 13-year-old minor in his Claremore home in 2014 and 2015, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Gary Dumont Riggs, 77, was found guilty of four counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor by force and threat in Indian County.
“Today, a federal jury sent Gary Riggs and other child predators a message that victims will be heard and the sexual abuse of children will not be tolerated within our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “As in so many of these cases, this victim, now a young adult, bravely faced her abuser in federal court and told her story. She is a survivor.”
"One of the most important missions of the FBI is to keep our children safe from predators like Mr. Riggs," said Special Agent in Charge Edward Gray of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. "Today's conviction is a step in the right direction in the pursuit of justice for the victim of his predatory crimes."
According to the indictment, Riggs raped and otherwise sexually assaulted the victim at least three times between May 1, 2014, and Sept. 1, 2014, and at least one other time from Dec. 1, 2014, to Jan. 31, 2015. At the time of the abuse, Riggs was 70 years old. In May 2015, the victim revealed the abuse to a classmate who then reported the crimes to authorities. When speaking to an investigator, the girl revealed the assaults along with several other abusive incidents that began when she was 12.
When interviewed by law enforcement in May 2015, Riggs eventually admitted to several incidents where he inappropriately touched the victim’s genitals and admitted that he made her touch his genitals and perform sex acts on him. He told the investigator that he had to fight temptation every day. He then stated that he absolutely committed the sexual assaults of his own free will.
In 2022, the victim also disclosed further incidents of abuse. She described how Riggs would touch her any chance he could. During her testimony at trial, she said that she did not initially disclose all of the abuse out of self-preservation, explaining that at the time of initial disclosure, she felt if she revealed even half of the sexual abuse that occurred that no one would believe her. She also described how she began cutting herself as a way to cope with the trauma she had endured. She explained that she hoped the physical pain would detract from the emotional pain she felt. The victim then described how she has since learned healthy ways to cope with the trauma and has moved forward in a positive direction.
In closing, the defense argued that the victim's recollection of the events was inconsistent and allowed for reasonable doubt. The defense further claimed that investigators rushed to judgement and asked Riggs leading questions, which he simply repeated when answering them in 2015. Federal prosecutors countered stating that law enforcement used well established investigative techniques when interviewing the defendant and cited examples of Riggs providing independent details of the abuse to investigators that were not stated in their questions.
Prosecutors asserted that the defendant abused his position of trust and used his size and physical restraint when he sexually assaulted the victim repeatedly. In her final statement to the jury, Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey Todd explained that in his own words, Riggs told law enforcement that “I wish it had never happened, but it did.” Todd then suggested that no one wished the abuse hadn’t happened more than the victim herself…but it did.
After two hours of deliberating, the jury returned guilty verdicts on all four counts.
The FBI and Verdigris Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stacey P. Todd and Niko A. Boulieris are prosecuting the case.
Owasso Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for Applying for Paycheck Protection Program Loans under False PretensesRead the Press Release
An Owasso man who fraudulently applied for Paycheck Protection Program loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was sentenced Monday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan sentenced Olusola Ojo, 43, to 48 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. Eagan also ordered Ojo to pay $150,000 in restitution to Stride Bank.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to pursue justice in cases where fraudsters bilk American taxpayers of funds meant to support vulnerable small business owners and their employees,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Olusola Ojo’s four-year prison sentence should send a message that white collar criminals will be held accountable for their illicit behavior.”
On Nov. 18, 2021, a federal jury found Olusola Ojo, also known as Sam Ojo, 42, guilty of bank fraud conspiracy, two counts of bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
Ojo, along with two coconspirators, created 12 fictitious business entities that would fraudulently apply for Paycheck Protection Program loans under false pretenses such as the number of employees, payroll expenditures, taxes paid during previous months, details of business ownership, and a false representation of their relationship with one another. During this time, Ibanga Etuk, Teosha Etuk, and Ojo submitted multiple applications for the same businesses to more than ten different banks, without disclosing to those banks that they were submitting duplicative applications. They conspired to obtain loans in the total approximate amount of $5,430,585 and actually obtained funding from banks in the total approximate amount of $995,385.
As part of the conspiracy, Ojo knowingly applied for a Paycheck Protection Program loan from Frontier State Bank under false pretenses from April 20, 2020, to April 29, 2020,. The defendant lied about the number of people employed during the previous months of purported operations, the payroll expenditures during the previous months, taxes paid during previous months of operation, ownership of the business, and relationships between the parties in a $300,000 loan application submitted for Quicksold Market, Inc.
From May 8, 2020, to May, 11, 2020, Ojo also applied for a $150,000 Paycheck Protection Program loan from Stride Bank submitted under false pretenses for the Inspired Group LLC.
As part of his crimes, Ojo used another individual’s identity on payroll records summitted to the banks when applying for the loans.
Ojo’s two codefendants previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced.
Ibanga Etuk, 42, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a total of four years in federal prison— two years for bank fraud and two years for aggravated identity theft. He was also ordered to pay $168,000 in restitution to Chickasaw Community Bank.
Teosha Etuk, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to one year and a day in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. She was further ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $150,000 to First Liberty Bank.
The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Office of Inspector General; Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General; and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin Harrington, Victor A.S. Régal, and David D. Whipple prosecuted the case.
To learn more about the Justice Department’s COVID response, 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.
To report a COVID-19-related fraud scheme or suspicious activity, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) by calling the NCDF Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-for
Man Charged with Threatening and Cyberstalking CongressmanRead the Press Release
A man known for showing up uninvited to political events and attempting to get close to politicians was charged this week for cyberstalking and making multiple threatening statements regarding U.S. Representative Kevin Hern and his family. Hern represents Oklahoma’s first congressional district.
Keith Charles Eisenberger, 39, of Bartlesville, was charged by Criminal Complaint with threatening to assault, kidnap, or murder a United States official; threatening to assault, kidnap, or murder an immediate family member of a United States official, and cyberstalking. The Complaint was unsealed after Eisenberger made an initial appearance late Friday in U.S. District Court.
The Complaint alleges that starting in November 2018 when Representative Hern took office, Eisenberger allegedly began making concerning statements about Hern that became increasingly more violent over time. He did so during visits and phone calls to the congressman’s offices in Washington, DC, and Tulsa and on social media.
Multiple alleged incidents are highlighted in the Complaint to include:
In January 2019, Eisenberger appeared in the Washington, DC offices, yelling and demanding to see Hern. He later allegedly told U.S. Capitol Police special agents that he was angry with the Hern because Eisenberger believed he was elected illegally. He stated that he believed the congressman had been appointed to the seat without Eisenberger being considered for it. He then stated that he’d flown to Washington, DC, on a one-way ticket and would not be returning until the Congressman resigned.
In a social media post dated Nov. 9, 2020, Eisenberger again voiced his anger about the election and further suggested that the congressman and the state of Oklahoma deserved to be “federally executed” and that if that was not feasible then the resignation, death or expulsion of Hern was acceptable.
In a lengthy October 2021 social media video post, he allegedly touted that he was going to assault the congressman, whether it be at a debate, a conference, or elsewhere.
Investigators further allege that in a May 11, 2022, social media post, Eisenberger stated that he hoped to kidnap Hern and his wife. He further wished harm would come to the congressman’s family.
The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar is prosecuting the case.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
This matter will proceed in U.S. District Court in Tulsa, where the Complaint is currently pending. A Complaint is a temporary charge alleging a violation of law. For the case to proceed to trial, the United States must present the charge to a federal Grand Jury within 30 days. Once a Grand Jury returns an Indictment, a defendant has a right to a jury trial at which the United States would have the burden of proving the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Missouri Man Charged with Murdering a Woman Whose Body Was Discovered in Mayes CountyRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury this week indicted a Missouri man for the first degree murder of a woman whose body was found in rural Mayes County in 2020, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
In a fourth superseding indictment, Tre Robert Allen Ackerson, 28, was charged with first degree murder in Indian Country. Prosecutors allege that he took part in kidnapping Jolene Walker Campbell, murdered her, then conspired with others to tamper with witnesses in an effort to obstruct a federal investigation into the murder.
The indictment charges Breanna Lynn Sloan, 22, and Ackerson with kidnapping Ms. Walker Campbell between July 4 and July 5, 2020, which resulted in her death.
The victim’s body was found in a remote field in Mayes County on July 15, 2020. Prosecutors state that the victim was robbed and kidnapped in Missouri, driven into the State of Oklahoma, and then through the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation into the Muscogee Nation reservation, where she was murdered by Ackerson. The medical examiner ruled the cause of death as a homicide. At this time, details of the homicide will not be released.
Ackerson, Sloan and Lane Ryan Bronson, 29, were also charged with conspiracy to tamper with a witness, victim, and informant from July 5, 2020, through the date of the fourth superseding indictment.
Additionally, Ackerson, Sloan, Bronson, Jacob Ryan Scribner, 34, and Kimberly Kay Grissom, 47, all of the Joplin, Missouri area, were charged for various witness tampering and retaliation incidents. The defendants, along with others, used physical force or threatened the use of physical force against four witnesses in separate incidents. Various assaults on witnesses took place that included witnesses being kidnapped, restrained with zipties, blindfolded or having their eyes duct taped shut, being shot at, and being beaten. The acts were committed to prevent the witnesses from testifying in the kidnapping and murder case or as retaliation for communicating to law enforcement. Sloan also allegedly offered two of the witnesses $1,000 in exchange for recanting and changing their testimony against Ackerson.
Ackerson and Bronson are brothers, and Grissom is their mother. Jacob Scribner is the cousin of Ackerson and Bronson.
In April and May, other defendants named in the third superseding indictment admitted to taking part in the witness tampering incidents in various guilty pleas. They include Morgan Lee Bowman, 26; Megan Louise Detherage, 28; Sarah Michelle Humbard, 25; David William Morris, 34; and Chloe Louise Stith, 21.
The Justice Department is committed to seeking justice on behalf of missing and murdered Indigenous people. This fourth superseding indictment is the result of a nearly two year-long FBI-led investigation into the murder of Ms. Walker Campbell, a citizen of the Osage Nation.
Law Enforcement supporting the FBI during investigation include the Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Police Department, Mayes County Sheriff’s Office, and Joplin Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin G. Bish and George Jiang are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Jury Convicts Tulsa Man for Sexually Abusing a 7-Year-Old ChildRead the Press Release
A man who sexually abused a 7-year-old child was convicted Friday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
A federal jury found Robert William Perry II, 31, of Tulsa, guilty of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country and of abusive sexual contact of a minor in Indian Country.
“Robert Perry exploited a young child’s trust when he repeatedly sexually abused her for over a year. I am thankful for her courageous testimony this week which helped ensure Perry’s conviction,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “I am also thankful that a vigilant teacher took action to protect her young student from further abuse. Because they often build positive relationships with their students, school faculty are frequently the first to learn about and report child physical and sexual abuse. I appreciate their partnership in the fight to protect children and to bring their abusers to justice.”
“The defendant preyed on an innocent child solely for his own pleasure, without regard to the grievous and long-lasting harm his depraved conduct would cause,” said Special Agent in Charge Edward Gray of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. “Let it be known that the FBI and our law enforcement partners will not tolerate crimes against children, and as evidenced by today’s verdict, neither will the community.”
From May 6, 2017, to May 15, 2018, Perry sexually abused the minor. 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 his “man cave,” a closet where he 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 a state trial and this week’s federal trial.
In closing, federal prosecutors asked the jury to focus on the victim, reminding them that her description of the abuse to authorities had remained consistent. Prosecutors further explained that children don’t just make up details and vivid descriptions of sexual abuse nor retell their story repeatedly for four years simply to gain attention. They asked the jury to follow the evidence, to believe the victim’s testimony and to find Perry guilty.
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. Perry is a citizen of the Muscogee Nation and the crimes occurred within the tribe’s reservation. Based on the Supreme Court’s decision in McGirt v Oklahoma, only the federal government or tribes have jurisdiction to prosecute cases that occur in Indian Country and that involve either Native American victims or defendants.
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex M. Scott and Valeria G. Luster are prosecuting the case.
Five Defendants Plead Guilty to Witness Tampering in the Case of a Missouri Woman Found Dead in Mayes CountyRead the Press Release
Five defendants who threatened or harmed witnesses in attempts to thwart a federal investigation into the kidnapping and killing of a Joplin woman have pleaded guilty in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
The body of Jolene Walker Campbell, an Osage Nation citizen, was discovered on July 15, 2020, in a remote field in Mayes County within the boundaries of the Muscogee Nation reservation. Federal prosecutors allege the kidnapping resulting in the death of Ms. Walker Campbell occurred in Joplin, Missouri, and happened sometime between July 4 and July 5, 2020.
On July 20, 2021, a total of 11 defendants from the Joplin, Missouri, area were charged in a third superseding indictment, for their various roles related to the kidnapping resulting in death conspiracy.
Within the last month, Morgan Lee Bowman, 26; Megan Louise Detherage, 28; Sarah Michelle Humbard, 25; David William Morris, 34; and Chloe Louise Stith, 21, each pleaded guilty to acts related to witness tampering.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will hold accountable individuals who threaten or commit acts of violence against witnesses in an attempt to obstruct the federal criminal justice process,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Together, my office and our partners at the FBI will uphold our federal trust responsibility in Indian Country and work to ensure justice prevails for victim Jolene Walker Campbell and the witnesses harmed in this case.”
On May 9, 2022, Bowman, pleaded guilty to tampering with a witness, victim, and informant by using and threatening physical force (Count 7). Bowman admitted that on July 7, 2020, she and Megan Louise Detherage and Lane Ryan Bronson bound, blindfolded and kidnapped two witnesses from a Joplin home and drove them to a remote location in Seneca, Missouri, occupied by Tre Robert Allen Ackerson and Breanna Sloan. She stated that while at that location, Ackerson used a semi-automatic rifle to repeatedly shoot at one of the witnesses and told the witness to “dance.” The second witness, who was still bound and blindfolded, was forced to listen. Bowman stated that after the shooting, she, Sloan and Detherage took the witnesses personal belongings and wiped down the car used in the kidnapping with bleach with the intention of destroying DNA and fingerprint evidence. Bowman said at the time of the crime, she understood that a federal proceeding was likely to evolve in the kidnapping and killing of Ms. Walker Campbell and that they threatened the witnesses with the intent to prevent communication with law enforcement about the crimes.
Detherage pleaded guilty on May 10, 2022, to misprision of a felony. Detherage admitted that she failed to inform law enforcement about her participation in a kidnapping for the purpose of intimidating witnesses of a drug trafficking offense. On July 7, 2020, she, Bronson, Bowman, and two witnesses were present at a house in Joplin. She stated that Bronson had asked one of the witnesses to hold a quantity of methamphetamine while Bronson was away and that Bronson later accused the individual of stealing some of the drug. She stated that at Bronson’s direction, she and Bowman blindfolded the two witnesses and they drove the witnesses to a trailer in Seneca, Missouri, where Ackerson and Sloan were located. She stated that Ackerson and Bronson left with one of the witnesses, then returned and parked behind the trailer. She, Sloan and Bowman then wiped down the car used in the kidnapping with bleach at the direction of Bronson. During that time, she claimed that she heard gunshots fired in the direction of where Ackerson and one of the witnesses were located, causing the second witness to become fearful. She stated the only firearm she saw during the kidnapping was a short-barreled rifle carried by Ackerson.
Humbard and Morris each pleaded guilty to tampering with a witness, victim, and informant by using the threat of physical force (Count 11). Humbard and Morris admitted that they threatened a witness by reminding the witness of the killing of Ms. Walker Campbell and that the witness was “playing with fire.” The two further admitted to luring the witness to drive to the Precious Moments Hotel in Carthage, Missouri, where they met Bronson. Bronson allegedly demanded the witness change testimony regarding codefendant Ackerson, and if not, the witness would pay for it. Humbard pleaded guilty on April 21, 2022, and Morris pleaded guilty May 13, 2022.
Stith pleaded guilty to tampering with a witness, victim, and informant by using and threatening physical force (Count 12). Stith admitted at a May 5, 2022, plea hearing that she helped another person in a separate incident in the use of force against two other witnesses with the intention of keeping them from communicating with federal law enforcement about the kidnapping and killing of Ms. Walker Campbell. She admitted to covering the two witnesses’ eyes with duct tape and driving the witnesses against their will to a remote location where one witness was physically assaulted by the other person who had accompanied Stith. The incident occurred on Aug. 13, 2020.
Bowman, Detherage, Humbard, Morris and Stith have now been convicted. All other defendants charged in the indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The FBI, Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Police Department, Mayes County Sheriff’s Office, and Joplin Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin G. Bish and George Jiang are prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson Recognizes the Service and Sacrifice of Law Enforcement during National Police WeekRead the Press Release
In honor of National Police Week, United States Attorney Clint Johnson recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement.
“This week, we gather to pay tribute to the law enforcement officers who sacrificed their lives in service to our country,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland. “We remember the courage with which they worked and lived. And we recommit ourselves to the mission to which they dedicated their lives. On behalf of a grateful Justice Department and a grateful nation, I extend my sincerest thanks and gratitude to the entire law enforcement community.”
“During National Police Week, we pay tribute to the brave men and women of law enforcement serving in communities across our Nation. I want to thank our law enforcement partners on behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their commitment to the betterment of our communities and to the safety of their fellow citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “We also honor the courageous and dedicated officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the American people. Their selfless devotion will not be forgotten.”
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), 472 law enforcement officers died nationwide in the line of duty in 2021. Of that number, 319 succumbed to COVID-19.
Additionally, according to 2021 statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 73 law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty in 2021 were killed as a result of felonious acts, whereas 56 died in accidents. Deaths resulting from felonious acts increased in 2021, rising more than 58 percent from the previous year. In 2021, unprovoked attacks[1] were the cause of 24 deaths significantly outpacing all other line of duty deaths resulting from felony acts and reaching the highest annual total in over 30 years of reporting.
Approximately eleven Oklahoma officers died in the line of duty in 2021 according to the Officer Down Memorial Page and Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial Page. Officers include Sergeant Frank Rodriguez of the Midwest City Police Department; Patrol Officer Howard Kritzer Smith III and Patrol Officer Edgar "Buddy" Pales, Jr. of the Owasso Police Department; Sergeant John Lee Trout Sr. and Police Officer Matthew Ryan North of the Bernice Police Department; Sergeant John Arthur Harris II of the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office; Police Officer Lewis Franklin Cantey of the Grand River Dam Authority Police Department; and Corporal Kyle Jeffrey Davis of the Washington County Sheriff's Office. The Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial page also includes Deputy Sheriff Ray Lee Jacomo Jr. of the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office; Detention Officer Steven Rozell of the Washita County Sheriff’s Office; and Investigator Lewis Roller of the District 6 District Attorney ‘s Office.
As part of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson and Law Enforcement Coordinator Chris Witt will attend several memorial ceremonies honoring fallen officers in northeastern Oklahoma.
U.S. Attorney Johnson will speak at the Bartlesville Police Department and Washington County Sheriff’s Office memorial on May 18 at noon. He previously attended the Tulsa Police Department memorial on May 7.
Witt will represent the U.S. Attorney’s Office at multiple memorial ceremonies:
- National Law Enforcement Memorial Week, Washington DC - 11-17 May
- Bartlesville Police Department/Washington County Sheriff’s Office - May 18
- Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office - May 19
- Oklahoma Law Enforcement - May 20
- Oklahoma City Police Department - May 20
- Witt previously attended the Tulsa Police Department memorial.
The names of the 619 fallen officers added this year to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Friday, May 13, 2022, during a Candlelight Vigil in Washington, D.C., starting at 8:00 PM EDT. Those who wish to view the vigil live online, can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/TheNLEOMF. The schedule of National Police Week events is available on NLEOMF’s website.
Additional LEOKA statistics can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website for the LEOKA program.
[1] An unprovoked attack is defined as an attack on an officer not prompted by official contact at the time of the incident between the officer and the offender. Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program.
Defendants Plead Guilty in Two Unrelated HomicidesRead the Press Release
Two men have pleaded guilty this week in federal court in two unrelated murder cases that occurred in Mayes and Craig Counties, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
On Wednesday, Daren Gilson Puffinbarger, 32, pleaded guilty to second degree murder in Indian Country. Puffinbarger shot Muscogee Nation citizen Lucas Sanders in the head six times while the victim lay in bed then set fire to the victim’s body. The crime occurred on Aug. 18, 2021. Agents located two small propane torch kits in the bedroom, one on the bed and the other sitting upright on the floor next to the bed, which were used to start the fires. The FBI, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and Mayes County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick is prosecuting the case.
In a separate case, Johnny Lee Arnold, 34, pleaded guilty to second degree murder in Indian Country on Tuesday. In a plea agreement, he admitted that on Aug. 19. 2019, he killed Cherokee Nation citizen Christopher Boren by stabbing him 17 times. The victim’s body was found near the vicinity of 350 Road and 4430 Road in Craig County. The FBI, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Mayes County Sheriff’s Office and Craig County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Brasher is prosecuting the case.
“Federal prosecutors, victim specialists and law enforcement are committed to fully investigating violent crimes that occur within Indian Country and to supporting victims and their families as we seek justice on their behalf,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Those individuals committing heinous crimes, such as murder, in the Northern District of Oklahoma will be held accountable.”
Members of U.S. Attorney’s Office Recognized for ExcellenceRead the Press Release
Members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office were recently recognized by the Federal Executive Board with 2022 Excellence in Government Awards, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
“The Federal Executive Board’s recognition of paralegal specialist Liz Dick and my administrative division led by Destiny Mozingo is well deserved and hard earned,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “When the U.S. Attorney’s Office went through unprecedented growth following court decisions that increased our Indian Country responsibilities, my team faced the challenge head on. I witnessed their talent, innovation and tenacity as this office overcame numerous challenges in the last year. I am proud of their work and dedication to mission.”
During the Board’s 60th Anniversary awards ceremony, paralegal specialist Elizabeth Dick was recognized in the Government Innovation individual category, and the office’s administrative division was recognized in the Administrative/Clerical team category.
Dick was recognized for her exemplary work as a paralegal specialist but also for her insight and innovation that led to increased productivity within the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Dick specifically designed and programmed a document automation system that saves countless manhours when creating and editing legal documents. Combined duties that used to take three to four hours to complete have been reduced to a 30 to 45-minute exercise. Dick also created a new process for how the U.S. Attorney’s Office manages search warrants. Dick collected and classified warrants that were previously approved and created uniformed templates for each type. She currently manages the data, helps disseminate the documents, and updates the warrant templates to conform with changes in the law. By developing a document automation system for grand jury materials and plea agreements and creating templates for a variety of search warrants, she helped create much-needed consistency when office staffing nearly doubled in 2021, increased efficiency, and saved the government manpower hours.
The administrative division was recognized for their exemplary work in developing action plans and garnering resources in response to the office’s increased jurisdictional responsibilities following federal and state court decisions affirming the Muscogee, Cherokee and Quapaw Nations’ traditional reservations remained intact within the Northern District of Oklahoma. The team showed ingenuity in working with additional allocation of funds, expansion of space, addition of mission essential equipment, and the onboarding of new employees and contractors to help with the influx of Indian Country cases. The team further streamlined the grand jury and discovery processes to meet the increased workload and managed expert witness contracts needed for the prosecution of complex victim centered cases. The administrative division is led by Destiny Mozingo, and team members include Hank Hampton, Kristi Batterson, Aaron White, Emma Werlein, Mary Robinson Hall, Leopoldo Martinez, Angelia Asberry and Patience Shepley.
Bartlesville Teenager Pleads Guilty to Second Degree MurderRead the Press Release
A 17-year-old who abused a toddler, causing the child’s death, pleaded guilty Monday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Terry Nathan Hindman, of Bartlesville, pleaded guilty to second degree murder.
“The abuse this young child endured at the hands Terry Hindman is horrific and his death a tragedy,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office takes seriously our charge to protect Oklahoma’s children and will bring to justice those who harm them.”
In a plea agreement, Hindman admitted that on Sept. 29, 2021, he was caring for a 23-month-old male child when he intentionally threw the young child across the room toward a couch with excessive force. The child’s head hit the wall directly behind the couch then he landed on a table in front of the couch striking his head again. Hindman said the child then stumbled and seemed dazed. Hindman failed to seek medical attention and did not tell anyone about the incident, including doctors when the child was taken to the hospital later that day.
On Oct. 2, 2021, Hindman was watching the child again when the child began having medical problems and appeared to have trouble breathing. Hindman did not seek medical care. The child’s mother later called an ambulance, and the child was transported to the hospital. During the second hospital visit, Hindman again failed to tell anyone about the Sept. 29 injury. The child was transferred to Oklahoma City and died on Oct. 7, 2021, from blunt force trauma, which was a result of the abuse that occurred on Sept. 29.
Hindman was charged as an adult for the crime.
The FBI and Bartlesville Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shannon Cozzoni and Chantelle D. Dial are prosecuting the case.
Man Who Threatened a Woman with a Loaded “Ghost Gun” Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
A man who pointed a personally-made firearm, also known as a ghost gun, at a woman and threatened to kill her pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Ronnell Dontae Butler, 26, of Oklahoma City, pleaded guilty to felon in possession of ammunition.
According to court documents, an argument had escalated between Butler and a woman when he pulled a loaded gun from the waistband of his pants, pointed it in the direction of the victim, and threatened to kill her. He did so while in the presence of a four-year-old child.
The victim was able to move to the kitchen at one point where she dialed 911, allowing dispatchers to listen to what was occurring and at times whispering to the 911 operator that Butler was threatening to shoot her. When Tulsa police officers arrived, Butler was unarmed but officers quickly located a personally-made firearm in the child’s pink backpack. The firearm was loaded with 10 rounds of 9mm ammunition. The firearm used in the crime is known as a “ghost gun”—an unserialized and personally-assembled firearm built using a parts kit. The crime occurred on Nov. 1, 2021.
In April, the Department of Justice announced that it had submitted to the Federal Register the “Frame or Receiver” Final Rule, which modernizes the definition of a firearm. Once implemented, this rule will clarify that parts kits that are readily convertible to firearms are subject to the same regulations as traditional firearms. The Department noted that the regulatory updates would help curb the proliferation of “ghost guns,” which are often assembled from kits, do not contain serial numbers, and are sold without background checks, making them more difficult to trace and easy to acquire by criminals. An April 11, 2022, White House fact sheet explained that the “rule clarifies that these kits qualify as ‘firearms’ under the Gun Control Act, and that commercial manufacturers of such kits must therefore become licensed and include serial numbers on the kits’ frame or receiver, and commercial sellers of these kits must become federally licensed and run background checks prior to a sale – just like they have to do with other commercially-made firearms.”
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cymetra M. Williams is prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative. PSN is the nationwide federal initiative to disrupt gun violence strategically and comprehensively, using all available enforcement and prosecutive tools. The initiative involves a partnership of federal, state, and local authorities, uniting their efforts and leveraging existing and new resources. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and its partners tailor their efforts to meet their own district’s unique needs, helping ensure the safety of communities in the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Jury Finds Sand Springs Man Guilty for Attempting to Coerce a 13-Year-Old into a Sexual RelationshipRead the Press Release
A federal jury found a Sand Springs man guilty Friday for sending hundreds of sexually explicit messages to a male minor and for touching the child in a sexual manner, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Jeremy Nicholas Botonis, 44, was convicted of one count of coercion and enticement of a child and one count of abusive sexual contact in Indian Country.
“Jeremy Botonis was a predator lying in wait. He gained the trust of a vulnerable child then exploited the child for his own sexual gratification,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The victim in this case displayed incredible strength as he testified in federal court this week. He is to be commended along with our law enforcement partners and federal prosecutor Chris Nassar for ensuring Botonis was held accountable for his predatory crimes.”
“Too often, deviant individuals like Botonis use social media to gain access to minors and build trust only to exploit them,” said Christopher Miller, acting Special Agent in Charge, HSI Dallas. “Thanks to the bravery and testimony of the young victim, the perpetrator was brought to justice, providing a stark reminder to predators who sexually exploit children that HSI will never relent in our collective law enforcement efforts to protect our most vulnerable citizens.”
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.” Then he attempted to kiss the victim while the two were in the woods. When the child rejected his advances and pulled away, Botonis became upset and concerned the child might reveal what had occurred to his parents. Later, he stood over the victim and told him to delete prior messages between the two that were associated with Botonis’ name and Facebook account, knowing that those conversations would incriminate him. He continued pressuring the child to delete the messages, and the victim eventually relented.
After the incident, Botonis continued to communicate with the victim using a Facebook page titled “Wolf Page.” Several weeks later, the victim’s father discovered sexually explicit messages sent to the victim from “Wolf Page.” The victim told his father the page belonged to Botonis, and disclosed 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 eventually able to extract messages from the victim’s cell phone and discovered 5,000 messages related to the case. Starting in May 2019, Botonis began grooming the victim by sending increasingly flirtatious and suggestive messages over Facebook messenger. Hundreds of sexually suggestive messages from Botonis were recovered where the defendant talked about the child’s looks, professed his “love” for the victim, made sexual innuendos, described sex acts, and 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, in reality, a predator hiding in the shadows, waiting for a vulnerable victim and the right moment to engage. Prosecutors then asked the jury to hold Botonis accountable for the crimes he committed against the child.
The jury returned guilty verdicts within two hours. Sentencing is tentatively set for September 2022.
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 U.S. Attorney’s Office then charged the case in federal court in May 2021.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Mayes County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Nassar and Stephanie Ihler prosecuted the case.
Broken Arrow Man Pleads Guilty for Taking Part in a Child Exploitation EnterpriseRead the Press Release
A Broken Arrow man who sexually exploited a young child and was an administrator for a transnational child exploitation chat group pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
The investigation into Cameron Kelly McAbee, 32, and the chat group led to the identification of 20 other alleged child predators from the United States, Australia, Canada, and Norway and the rescue of more than 20 children.
“Through an extensive investigation by the FBI and our task force partners, Cameron McAbee and a group of 20 other predators have been identified and will face justice in their respective jurisdictions for the trauma they have caused to children,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners in Oklahoma and across the nation will continue to identify, track, arrest and prosecute pedophiles who harm the most vulnerable among us.”
“This predator participated in a child exploitation enterprise that, through shocking and heartbreaking means, caused irreparable harm to many child victims,” said Special Agent in Charge Edward Gray of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. “The vile actions committed by the defendant and his cohort of predators will no longer go undetected, and thanks to the painstaking, tireless efforts of this investigative and prosecution team, the defendant will be held accountable to the fullest extent.”
McAbee pleaded guilty to child exploitation enterprise, sexual exploitation of a child by a parent; receipt and distribution of child pornography; and possession of child pornography in Indian Country.
In his plea agreement, McAbee admitted that from July 1, 2019, to July 26, 2021, he knowingly engaged in a child exploitation enterprise, taking part in a series of felony violations comprised of more than three separate incidents, involving more than one victim, and in concert with more than three other people.
McAbee admitted to being an administrator of online messenger platform group chats where members of the group exchanged numerous images and videos depicting the rape and molestation of children. He stated that the groups involved at least 21 members and at least eight child victims. As part of gaining access to one of the groups, members were required to show proof of access to a child victim and were expected to share images and videos of the sexual abuse of that child to maintain access to the group, as well as other images and videos of child sexual abuse obtained elsewhere. McAbee admitted to being partly responsible for confirming a prospective member’s access to a child victim and admitting them to the group. McAbee also admitted that from July 1, 2019, to July 26, 2021, he had a minor engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions that he would sometimes share in the group chats.
On July 13, 2021, the FBI discovered the online chat group and began an investigation. According to court documents, the FBI believed a specific account, later linked to McAbee, was an administrator and observed that gaining membership in the group required showing photographic proof of having access to a child for the suspected purpose of sharing child sexual abuse material. Continued access to the group required members to produce and share images and videos of the members sexually abusing children. On July 24, 2021, McAbee posted a “live photo” to the group depicting the sexual abuse of a child he had access to.
On July 26, 2021, the FBI linked the administrator account to McAbee and his Broken Arrow address and executed a search warrant at the residence. He was taken into custody the same day.
The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office (Tulsa Resident Agency), FBI Atlanta Field Office, Broken Arrow Police Department, and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar is prosecuting the case.
See previous press release announcing charges here
This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Man Convicted of Mother’s Day 2021 Attack on his Ex-GirlfriendRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Tulsa man Wednesday for breaking into a former girlfriend’s home and strangling her, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Anthony Lamont Mason II, 28, was found guilty of one count of assault of a former intimate and dating partner by strangling, suffocating, and attempting to strangle and suffocate in Indian Country and one count of first degree burglary in Indian Country.
“Anthony Mason posed an extreme danger to his former girlfriend and those she cares about,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “A jury has found him guilty, and he will spend time in prison where he can no longer harm this victim or any other intimate partners. Federal prosecutors, law enforcement and victim specialists will continue to give a voice to domestic violence survivors and will work diligently to hold perpetrators of abuse accountable.”
“Protecting the public from violent criminals will always be a top priority for the FBI and our law enforcement partners,” said Special Agent in Charge Edward Gray of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. “This verdict makes clear that the people of Oklahoma won’t tolerate violence of any kind and demonstrates our joint commitment to bringing those who terrorize our communities to justice.”
According to court documents, Mason initially confronted the victim in violation of a protection order the morning of May 9, 2021, while she was out with her child in Broken Arrow. He was upset and asked why she wouldn’t speak to him, who she was allowing into her home, and then questioned her about her phone.
Later that day, Mason broke into the victim’s home and assaulted her. The victim was home spending Mother’s Day with several friends, her child, and her child’s friend. After her last adult friend left the residence, the victim received a call from a private number and out of concern, shut the front blinds. She then looked out the window and saw Mason approach the home. The victim tried to call 911, threw her phone under the bed, hid the children in a closet, then returned to the front of the home where Mason had forced his way through the front door. The victim’s doorbell camera captured 25 seconds of the incident, first showing a hand covering the camera then the sound of the victim’s screams and terrified pleas for him to stop.
Inside, Mason grabbed the victim by the neck, demanding to know where her phone was located. He dragged her by her hair, strangled her until she nearly blacked out, poured water over her mouth and nose, continuing to obstruct her breathing, and then hit her with what appeared to be a handle of a gun. He told the victim if she told anyone, he would kill her, and then moved towards where she had hidden the children. To protect the children, the victim tried to distract the defendant by running from the home, screaming, knowing he would follow and try to stop her. Surveillance video from a nearby home captured Mason chasing the victim down the street, throwing her to the concrete, then continuing to run from the scene.
During trial, federal prosecutors introduced numerous other domestic violence acts committed by Mason against the victim prior to the May 9, 2021, attack which showed an escalating pattern of violence. The victim reported that Mason had strangled her multiple times since March 2020, broke her driver’s side car window in anger, and broke into her home when she was not present on Feb. 27, 2021. While in her home, he turned over the victim’s mattress, rifled through her bedroom, and broke several electronic items. Mason also repeatedly violated a March 2021 protective order.
Mason also had prior domestic violence charges brought against him involving other intimate partners, including a conviction in Tulsa County District Court.
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chantelle D. Dial and George Jiang are prosecuting the case.
Federal Grand Jury A Indictments Announced- May 2022Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the May 2022 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.
Harold Everett Bringinggood. First Degree Burglary in Indian Country. On June 17, 2020, Bringinggood, 34, of Quapaw, allegedly broke into a home while it was occupied to commit a crime. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle M. McWaters is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-125
Kellie Lee Crawford. First Degree Murder in Indian Country. Crawford, 54, of Grove, allegedly killed victim Richard Strade on Sept. 7, 2021. The FBI and Cherokee Nation Marshal Service are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey P. Todd is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-117
Ryan James Dunham. Obstructing, Delaying, and Affecting Commerce by Robbery; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Bank Robbery. Dunham, 25, of Tulsa, allegedly brandished a firearm and threatened an employee when he robbed a Tulsa Check N’ Go on March 23, 2021. Also, on March 31, 2021, Dunham used force and intimidation to rob an IBC Bank in Tulsa. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Brasher is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-120
Antonio Miguel Marquez. Felon in Possession of Firearms 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. Marquez, 23, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Glock .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, a Mossberg 12-gauge pump action shot gun and 176 rounds of ammunition. He is also charged with knowingly possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and with possessing a firearm to further his drug trafficking crime. Finally, he is charged with maintaining a residence for the purpose of distributing the drug. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Nasar is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-121
Tyler Dean Lewis Ross Cody. Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country (superseding indictment). Cody, 21, of Nowata, was allegedly speeding and unlawfully passed another vehicle in a no passing zone. Cody’s vehicle struck one motorist’s vehicle as he attempted to pass it and then collided head-on with a second vehicle, killing the driver. The incident occurred on May 28, 2020, in Nowata County. The FBI and Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon A. Skates is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-63
Teraneh Monique Sullivan. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country. Sullivan, 31, of Tulsa, is charged with assaulting a victim by swinging a pocketknife at the victim’s neck on Feb. 21, 2021. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-127
Jeremy Wayne Williams. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Williams, 45, of Shawnee, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Ruger 9mm Luger caliber semi-automatic pistol. The FBI and Broken Arrow Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor A.S. Régal is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-129
Ottawa County Man Sentenced for Sexually Abusing of a MinorRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A man who contacted Ottawa County authorities to report that he sexually abused a minor was sentenced Monday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Jeremy Brandon Lawhorn, 39, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for the sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country.
On Aug. 19, 2020, Lawhorn contacted the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office to report that he needed to confess to a crime. After being informed of his Miranda rights, he told officers that on Aug. 14, 2020, he touched a 12-year-old minor in a sexual manner. He told officers that he touched the child under her shirt and sweatpants. He understood the contact was unwanted and said he felt sorry for what he’d done.
“Jeremy Lawhorn violated a child’s trust and innocence. Thankfully, the abuse was stopped and this victim was protected from further harm,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “I am grateful for our law enforcement partners and victim advocates who investigate these difficult cases and offer critical support to victims every day in communities across northeastern Oklahoma.”
Lawhorn was originally charged in Ottawa County District Court, but in October 2021, the case was dismissed due to lack of jurisdiction. Lawhorn is a Cherokee Nation citizen, and the crime occurred within the boundaries of the Quapaw Nation reservation. The case was indicted in federal court on Dec. 6, 2021.
The FBI and Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Brasher prosecuted the case.
Bixby Man Charged with Unlawfully Manufacturing an Explosive DeviceRead the Press Release
A man who allegedly built an explosive device that was found in a backpack during a traffic stop was charged in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Joe Allen Forest, 24, was charged by Criminal Complaint with unlawful manufacture of a destructive device.
On April 28, 2022, a Bixby police officer attempted to stop a speeding driver, who then led the officer on a chase. The driver eventually stopped and was taken into custody.
According to the Complaint, a vehicle inventory was conducted, and the officer observed a backpack on the floorboard with a canister that appeared to be an explosive device. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol Bomb Squad and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were contacted and arrived on scene. They determined the device to be an expended military smoke grenade which had been manipulated and refilled with explosive powders and disassembled fireworks. The device further had a pyrotechnic fuse along its side then entering the device at the bottom. They also located an intact small triangular explosive device inside the backpack. The triangular devices are often illegally imported into the United States and contain 3 grams of flash powder. All devices were rendered safe.
The driver told investigators that the backpack and devices belonged to Joe Allen Forest and that he had dropped him off earlier. Forest was eventually located and taken into custody. According to the Complaint, agents found four small triangular devices in Forest’s pocket, which were the same as the triangular device found earlier in the backpack. Forest also allegedly told agents that he built the larger device found in the backpack at his home in Bixby nearly a month ago and was planning to blow it up at a creek.
*This matter will proceed in United States District Court in Tulsa, where the Complaint is currently pending. A Complaint is a temporary charge alleging a violation of law. For the case to proceed to trial, the United States must present the charge to a federal Grand Jury within 30 days. Once a Grand Jury returns an Indictment, a defendant has a right to a jury trial at which the United States would have the burden of proving the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and Bixby Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert T. Raley is prosecuting the case. AUSA Raley is the National Security Anti-Terrorism (ATAC) Prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Tulsa Man Sentenced for Burglary and Assault that Resulted in Substantial Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
A Tulsa man who battered a former dating partner and threatened to kill her was sentenced in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Gerald Smith, 28, of Tulsa, to 84 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will not shy away from prosecuting cases of domestic violence,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Gerald Smith’s threats and vicious attack on this victim are inexcusable, and he will spend seven years in federal prison as a result.”
In November, Smith pleaded guilty to first degree burglary in Indian Country and assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to an intimate/dating partner in Indian Country.
Smith admitted that on May 4, 2021, he broke into the home of a former dating partner and assaulted her. Smith entered the home without the victim’s permission through a sliding door and demanded the victim allow him to live in her home. When the victim declined, Smith further demanded that she book a hotel room for him and pay for it. He threatened to kill her if she refused. He then drove the victim in her vehicle to a local hotel where she paid for his room. As she attempted to leave in her car, Smith grabbed her and struck her in the face multiple times, resulting in scratches on her face and neck, a bite mark on her forearm, and an eye that was swollen shut.
The Tulsa Police Department and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven J. Briden prosecuted the case.
Oklahoma Inmate Indicted for Orchestrating Drug and Firearms Conspiracies Using Contraband CellphonesRead the Press Release
An inmate who used contraband cell phones to lead a methamphetamine distribution operation has been charged along with five others in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Richard Deeter, Jr. was charged with directing a continuing criminal enterprise from prison. Deeter along with Donald Pearson, Jonna Steele, Johnny Sparks, Izabella Boling, and Nicole Cox, were charged in a 43-count indictment with taking part in drug and firearms conspiracies that included the trafficking of methamphetamine and the use of firearms to further their drug operation.
“This case demonstrates how the use of contraband cell phones within prisons fuels violent crime in communities across our state,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “My office is committed to working together with our law enforcement partners to thwart the use of contraband cell phones and hold accountable those individuals operating large scale criminal conspiracies from behind prison walls.”
Deeter allegedly directed the purchase and pick up of bulk quantities of methamphetamine from Oklahoma City for the purpose of redistributing the drug within the Northern District of Oklahoma. Deeter and his coconspirators utilized Facebook messenger, video calls, text messaging, encrypted instant messaging, and other methods to conduct operations. The indictment alleges he communicated with his coconspirators and others about where to pick up the methamphetamine, drug pricing, and to whom the drug would be sold. Deeter accepted payment from coconspirators and drug customers through the use of Green Dot cards and Cash App. He is also alleged to have directed the use of firearms to further the drug operation and the collection of drug debts. The conspirators kept residences in Tulsa for storing the guns and methamphetamine.
According to the indictment, criminal acts conducted as part of the conspiracy are:
-In November 2021, Deeter had a phone conversation asking an individual to find someone who could pilot a drone for the purposes of smuggling contraband into prison.
-In December 2021, Deeter sent a text message to an individual with a list of people who owed him money. On that list was Michael Johnson. Deeter directed an individual to collect the debt by stealing Johnson’s car. During the Jan. 5, 2022, attempt to collect the debt, Johnson was shot and killed.
-In June 2021, Deeter directed an individual to travel to Oklahoma City to purchase approximately 5 to 7 kilograms of methamphetamine. The next month, he directed the same individual to travel to the city to purchase 14 kilograms of methamphetamine.
-In July 2021, Deeter directed an individual to find someone to shave the heads and eyebrows of two women who owed him money.
-In November 2021, Deeter allegedly messaged Boling asking her to sell approximately 13 firearms over Facebook Messenger for a total price of $5,000.
-From November to December 2021, Deeter directed an individual to store firearms at a residence located at 1815 N. Atlanta Place in Tulsa. During that time, Deeter also used a cell phone, including video calls, to direct the same individual to trade methamphetamine for firearms.
-In November 2021, Deeter arranged for a Universal Aryan Brotherhood member to deliver a 12-gauge break open shotgun to the same residence to hide the firearm from police.
-In September and October 2021, Deeter paid rent for 1814 N. Atlanta Place in the form of counterfeit oxycodone pills, which contained fentanyl.
*An indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Defendants are charged as followed:
Richard Deeter Jr., 44, residing in the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester: continuing criminal enterprise (Count 1); felon in possession of a firearm (Counts 2,3) Firearms Conspiracy (Count 5); drug conspiracy (Count 6); use of a communication facility in committing, causing, and facilitating the commission of a drug trafficking felony (Counts 7-29, 31-39); possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (Count 40, 42); possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute (count 43).
Donnie Pearson, 36, of Sand Springs: felon in possession of a firearm (Count 4); firearms conspiracy (Count 5); drug conspiracy (Count 6), use of a communication facility in committing, causing, and facilitating the commission of a drug trafficking felony (Count 30).
Jonna Steele, 37, of Tulsa: firearms conspiracy (Count 5); drug conspiracy (Count 6); use of a communication facility in committing, causing, and facilitating the commission of a drug trafficking felony (Count 16, 18).
Johnny Sparks, 34, of Tulsa: drug conspiracy (Count 6); possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute (Count 41).
Izabella Boling, 25, of Broken Arrow: firearms conspiracy (Count 5); drug conspiracy (Count 6); possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute (Count 43).
Nicole Cox, 26, of Mountain Home, Arkansas: firearms conspiracy (Count 5); drug conspiracy (Count 6); use of a communication facility in committing, causing, and facilitating the commission of a drug trafficking felony (Count 17).
Deeter and Pearson are members of the Universal Aryan Brotherhood.
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.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Tulsa Police Department, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Nasar is prosecuting the case.
Federal Grand Jury B Indictments Announced- April 2022Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the April 2022 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.
Samuel Goana-Gonzalez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Goana-Gonzalez, 37, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after being removed on March 2, 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 Charles M. McLoughlin is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-102
Michael Dylan Hedrick. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (superseding). Hedrick 28, of Tulsa, allegedly struck a victim with a vehicle with the intent to do bodily harm on Nov. 28, 2021. He is further alleged to have shot at the same victim plus two others on Nov. 6, 2021. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard M. Cella is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-05
Denim Lee Blount, Hunter Hobbes. Conspiracy to Carry, Use, and Brandish a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (Counts 1 and 4); Attempted Carjacking (Count 2); Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (Count 3); Robbery in Indian Country (Count 5); Felony Murder in Indian Country (Count 6); Causing Death by Carrying, Using, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (Count 7); Obstruction of Justice by Killing a Victim (Count 8). On May 8, 2021, at 10:29 pm, two men later identified as Hobbs, 20, of Bixby, and Blount, 19, of Tulsa, approached a man who was attempting to hook up his SUV and trailer in an apartment complex parking lot. Based on surveillance footage, Blount pointed a shotgun at the man, while Hobbs pointed a rifle at him. The two ordered the victim to get out of his vehicle. When the victim refused, both men allegedly shot him multiple times. The two then fled, leaving the victim and his vehicle behind. The victim was transported to St. Francis Hospital for non-life threatening injuries. Hobbs and Blount are also charged with conspiring to carry, use, and brandish firearms during a robbery in the early morning hours of May 13, 2021, at Haikey Creek Park in Broken Arrow. During the robbery, the two allegedly shot and killed Caleb Vaughn Collier and Kelly Ray Olen John Landsaw-Davis before fleeing the scene in Collier’s stolen vehicle. In this 2nd superseding indictment, Blount and Hobbs are also charged with killing the two victims to prevent them from identifying the defendants to authorities. The FBI, Tulsa and Broken Arrow Police Departments, and U.S. Marshals Service are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Nassar and Leah Paisner are prosecuting the case. 21-CR-233
Kawaun Thelma Hopkins. First Degree Burglary in Indian Country; Second Degree Burglary in Indian Country. On Dec. 2, 2021, 27-year-old Hopkins, a non-Indian of Tulsa, broke into a Native American victim’s residence while it was occupied and stole a purse containing cash and other valuables. On a separate occasion on Dec. 12, 2021, Hopkins a broke into an unoccupied residence, owned by a second Native American victim, with the intent to steal property or commit any other felony. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-103
Derius Donovan Ledet. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. On March 22, 2022, Ledet, 32, of Bristow, was charged with being a felon in possession of a Rossi .38 Special revolver and five rounds of ammunition. The Tulsa Police Department and Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin G. Bish is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-112
Jamal Jawon Lamont McShan. Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country. On April 4, 2022, McShan, 21, of Tulsa, assaulted an intimate partner by strangling her. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-104
Tyler Craig Mitchell. Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling, Suffocating, and Attempting to Strangle and Suffocate in Indian Country; Kidnapping in Indian Country. Mitchell, 29, of Adair, allegedly kidnapped and strangled an intimate partner on July 7, 2020. The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor A.S. Régal is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-105
Scott Edward Parker. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. On Jan. 7, 2022, Parker, 54, of Broken Arrow, allegedly pointed a firearm at a female victim and her family while both were driving on Highway 169 in Tulsa. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Brasher is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-106
Garret Wayne Pulliam. Arson in Indian Country; Arson. On March 26, 2022, Pulliam, 36, set fire his room at the Hickory Inn Motel located in Grove, causing lives to be placed in danger and destruction to the property. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Grove Police Department and Cherokee Nation Marshal’s Service are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex M. Scott is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-113
In this press release defendant Mitchell's age has been corrected.
Tulsa Man Convicted on Coercion and Enticement and Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a 28-year-old Tulsa man Wednesday for enticing a girl between the ages of 15 and 17 years old and for possessing sexually explicit pictures and videos of the girl, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Alexander Nicholaus Sweet was found guilty of coercion and enticement of a minor (count 1); production of child pornography (counts 2,5,6,7); receipt of child pornography (count 3); and possession of child pornography (count 4).
“Alexander Sweet targeted and groomed a vulnerable teenager struggling with the loss of two loved ones and a difficult childhood. This week, she showed tremendous courage when she faced him in a federal courtroom,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This predator thought he was above the law but has now been convicted and sits behind bars where he can no longer victimize another child.”
“There is nothing more disgraceful than a person who intentionally exploits a child’s vulnerabilities to ingratiate themselves and manipulate their decisions,” said Edward Gray, FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Oklahoma City Field Office. “The FBI is, and will continue to be, determined in its efforts to ensure people like Mr. Sweet do not move forward with impunity.”
In December 2020, the FBI received numerous reports that Sweet was in a sexual relationship with a vulnerable 16 year old girl and was in possession of explicit photographs and videos of the girl that would be considered child pornography. Agents further reviewed posts made by Sweet across several social media platforms where he specifically discussed his sexual interest in female minors. For example, in one post, a Reddit poster asked, “What was sexy 10 years ago but isn’t now?” Sweet replied “My 22-year-old niece.” Per his post, Sweet implied that he thought his niece was sexier when she was 12 as opposed to 22.
Sweet initially reached out to the victim online when she was 15 years old after he saw a post she had made on social media indicating that she recently lost a family member. The teenager had recently lost two people she cared about within a month and told authorities she had felt very alone at that time. Sweet, who was aware of the victim’s age, groomed the minor on and off social media for several months until September 2020 when he initiated a “relationship” with the minor. The minor’s guardian opposed Sweet’s interest in the child and eventually applied for a protective order against him. Sweet threatened the guardian when she tried to keep him away from the girl.
Over the course of the grooming, Sweet coerced the victim into sending a significant number of sexually explicit photographs and videos to him using multiple platforms, including Google Meet and Google Hangouts. The victim indicated that most of the images were sent using her school laptop. Law enforcement discovered a Google photos folder and a Google Hangouts conversation associated with Sweet’s account that corroborated what the victim had told authorities.
After he realized that law enforcement was pursuing a case against him, agents learned that Sweet took the minor to Payne County to apply for a marriage license. The victim testified that Sweet incorrectly believed that if the two were married, she could not testify against him. The victim’s guardian contacted the courthouse and advised them that she did not provide consent. Sweet then took the minor to Arkansas to marry her without the guardian’s consent.
At that time, agents also learned that Sweet planned to leave the country with the minor. Sweet was arrested as he was leaving Tulsa driving a car with “Just Married” written across the back window. The victim was also in the vehicle, and her hair had been bleached. Inside the vehicle, agents found “doll clothing,” multiple electronic devices, over $1,000 in cash, United States passport applications for both Sweet and the minor victim, and a Polish citizenship application for Sweet. During a search of relevant accounts, authorities discovered multiple videos of Sweet engaged in sexual acts with the victim.
In court, the victim testified that Sweet regularly provided her alcohol and drugs during the period in which he groomed her. She also testified that she was working to get the fraudulent marriage annulled. Sweet, who at times represented himself during the trial asked the victim if she would be willing to get back together with him to which the victim replied “Under no circumstance.”
During the course of the investigation, several other victims came forward. Although, they were not part of the indictment filed against Sweet, they hope to be heard at sentencing.
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward Snow and Leah Paisner are prosecuting the case.
Man Pleads Guilty to Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Tulsa man’s trial was set to begin when he pleaded guilty Tuesday for assaulting and strangling a woman, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Vernon Jenedia Neel, 42, pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country. If the plea agreement is accepted by U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell, Neel will serve between eight and 10 years in federal prison. Neel will be sentenced at a later date.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will not tolerate acts of criminal violence,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Vernon Neel has been held responsible for the harm he caused to this victim thanks to the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stacey Todd, Vani Singhal and Gina Gilmore and our partners at the Tulsa Police Department and FBI.”
During the early morning hours of July 3, 2021, the Defendant assaulted the victim by striking her repeatedly with his fists and strangling her. The victim sustained serious injuries including a broken nose, a severed lip requiring stitches, a concussion and multiple bruises and abrasions. Neel ran off with her phone so she could not call for help.
Neel also has multiple felony convictions including for domestic violence and violating a protective order.
The Tulsa Police Department and the FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stacey P. Todd, Vani Singhal and Gina S. Gilmore are prosecuting the case.
Two Marketers Sentenced for Engaging in an Illegal Health Care Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
Two men were sentenced in federal court Wednesday for helping orchestrate a scheme where physicians received kickback payments in exchange for writing and referring expensive compounded drug prescriptions to OK Compounding, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Johnathon Yates Boyd III, 50, of Katy, Texas, was sentenced to 12 months of probation and ordered to pay $391,475.41 in restitution. Bryan Fred Woodson, 61, of Beach City, Texas, was sentenced to 12 months of probation and ordered to pay $553,232.45 in restitution.
Boyd III and Woodson each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to pay kickbacks.
It is illegal to pay or receive “kickbacks” in conjunction with federal health care insurance. Prohibitions against kickbacks are crucial to ensure that financial motives do not undermine the medical judgment of physicians and other health care providers.
Boyd III and Woodson admitted to conspiring together with Christopher Parks, 60, of Jenks, and Dr. Gary Lee, 61, of Tulsa, to enrich themselves through the scheme at the expense of the federal government.
According to court documents, Boyd III and Woodson, formed R&A Marketing Group LLC around 2012. R&A Marketing introduced its recruited physicians to OK Compounding, a pharmacy controlled and operated by Parks and Lee, for the purpose of entering into a referral relationship with the pharmacy. The conspirators provided illegal kickbacks and bribes to the physicians, and in return, the physicians wrote expensive patient prescriptions for compounded drugs and referred those prescriptions to OK Compounding. The pharmacies then submitted large claims for payment of the costly prescriptions to various federal health care programs.
Physicians were allegedly provided pre-printed prescription pads that listed compounded formula choices. They would then check a box with their preferred selection then fax it directly to OK Compounding, rather than writing a prescription tailored to the patient who could then take it to a pharmacy of their choice.
Payments to physicians were disguised through various sham business arrangements. For example, physicians would enter into agreements with a pharmacy to serve as “medical directors” or “consulting physicians.” However, physicians did not provide any services to OK Compounding nor any other pharmacies controlled by Parks and/or Lee.
In exchange for recruiting physicians to enter into contracts as “medical directors” or “consulting physicians”, R&A Marketing was paid a commission based on the reimbursed prescriptions.
Compounding prescriptions is a practice in which a pharmacist or physician combines, mixes or alters ingredients of a drug or multiple drugs to create a medication that is tailored to the specific needs of a patient. These medications are prescribed when standard Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drugs are unsuitable for the patient. They are also more expensive and reimbursed at a far higher rate by federal and private insurance companies. Compounded drugs are not to be mixed or marketed in bulk.
OK Compounding is no longer in operation. Charges are currently pending against Parks and Lee. They are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Veteran’s Affairs- Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Department of Labor- Office of Inspector General (OIG), IRS- Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Service- OIG, FBI and the Department of Health and Human Services-OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melody Noble Nelson and Richard M. Cella prosecuted the case.
Jury Convicts Delaware County Man for Physically Abusing an InfantRead the Press Release
A federal jury found a Colcord man guilty Wednesday for shaking a 4-month-old infant while she was in his care, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. The child abuse incident led to the girl’s hospitalization several days later.
Lucas Jack Woods, 21, of Colcord, was convicted of child abuse in Indian Country.
“An infant has sustained life altering injuries resulting from the abusive actions of Lucas Woods. This week, he has been held accountable by a federal jury,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “I am thankful to law enforcement and federal prosecutors Adam Bailey and Edward Snow whose commitment to this case ensured justice was secured for this young victim.”
“It is despicable to see harm inflicted upon the most precious beings in our society,” stated Special Agent in Charge Edward Gray, FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. “Let the conviction of Mr. Woods be a cautionary tale with the clear lesson that the abuse of children will never be tolerated or go unpunished. The FBI will never stop fighting for the vulnerable.”
On Aug. 29, 2021, Woods was caring for the child when he began sending panicked messages via Snapchat to the girl’s mother while she was at work. The messages indicated that he was struggling to care for the child and was growing frustrated and desperate, stating at 6:03 am “I can’t do this taking care of [child’s name] by myself…She’s not stopped since you left.” At 6:36 am, he messaged, “Baby I need you.” Sixteen minutes later, he messaged that the child had finally fallen asleep. At some point during the conversation, prosecutors said that Woods shook the child in frustration, injuring her. Over the next two days, the child became increasingly ill, which included vomiting, and began suffering seizures.
The victim was then taken to the hospital in Grove then flown to OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City for emergency pediatric treatment for a brain bleed. The infant was placed on a ventilator and was near death at times during her treatment. Medical tests revealed extensive retinal hemorrhages with subdural hematoma consistent with physical abuse, specifically abusive head trauma. A bruise described as “a squeeze mark” was also found on the child’s right upper arm. Physicians stated the injuries could not be plausibly explained by an accidental injury or other conditions. The infant was eventually discharged but continues to be treated for lasting injuries due to the abuse.
During an initial interview with FBI agents, Woods said he could not remember doing anything to the child but was having a mental health episode that day and was scared he could have harmed her. At a later interview on Nov. 8, 2021, Woods was re-interviewed and confessed to shaking the infant sometime while he was messaging the child’s mother on Aug. 29. He explained that he had taken his frustration out on the child and that he was ashamed. He told agents he could not face the reality of what he had done.
Following his conviction at trial, Woods was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
The FBI, Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, and Grove Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam C. Bailey and Edward Snow are prosecuting the case.
Former Dealership Sales Associate Pleads Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
A former car dealership sales associate alleged to have been responsible for more than $ 1 million in fraudulent vehicle sales pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
William Ray Turner, 31, of Tulsa, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
“William Turner exploited his position when he stole an identity and used it to submit a false loan application for the purchase of a vehicle. He then illegally profited from the crime by receiving a commission and selling the SUV to a personal acquaintance,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to fully prosecuting white collar criminals, like Turner, who defraud employers and the banking system.”
In his plea agreement, the former sales associate stated that on Sept. 14, 2020, he knowingly used identification belonging to another individual to submit a false loan application to Ally Bank for the purchase of a 2019 KIA Sorento in the approximate amount of $32,917 from Patriot Chevrolet. Turner stated that he received a commission for the purported sale of the vehicle, and after the sale was approved, he caused the Kia Sorrento to be transferred to an acquaintance who subsequently made payments to Turner via CashApp for the vehicle. Turner admitted that he acted with the intent to defraud the dealership.
According to the indictment initially filed in the case, from March 2019 to October 2021, Turner was employed at Patriot Chevrolet in Bartlesville. Turner sold cars, assisted customers in obtaining financing for the purchase of vehicles, and received commission payments for his sales. Starting in May 2020, Turner devised and carried out a scheme where he used stolen identities to purchase vehicles in those individuals’ names and sometimes sold the vehicles to other people for cash. The vehicles would then leave the dealership’s lot, and Turner would receive the commissions.
The U.S. Secret Service, IRS-Criminal Investigation, and Bartlesville Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard M. Cella and Melody Noble Nelson are prosecuting the case.
Federal Grand Jury A Indictments Announced- April 2022Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the April 2022 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.
Keith Eugene Crenshaw II. Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force and Threat in Indian Country; Sexual Abuse by Threat and Fear in Indian Country; Sexual Abuse of an Incapable Victim in Indian Country; and First Degree Burglary in Indian Country. Crenshaw, 33, is charged with breaking into a Glenpool home and sexually assaulting the woman inside on Feb. 20, 2022. The FBI and Glenpool Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Ihler is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-90
Carlos Rafael Jacome. Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Jacome, 31, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Glock 9X19 caliber semi-automatic pistol. The Drug Enforcement Administration is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn McCormick is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-91
Timothy Revae McDonald. Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Unlawful Possession of Body Armor. McDonald, 44, of Tulsa, was charged with being a felon in possession of a Sarsilmaz 9mm semi-auto pistol, a Sig Sauer 9x19 semi-auto pistol, and 33 rounds of ammunition. He is also charged with knowingly possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; knowingly possessing with intent to distribute cocaine; possessing firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes; and knowingly maintaining a place for the purpose of distributing methamphetamine. Finally, he charged with unlawfully possessing body armor. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-92
Sir Michael Morgan Jr. First Degree Murder in Indian Country; Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country; Causing Death by Using and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. According to the indictment, Morgan Jr., 18, of Tulsa, murdered Isaiah Jones on Jan. 29, 2022, during a shooting that occurred on N. Johnstown Avenue in Tulsa. He is further alleged to have shot a 17-year-old with intent to commit murder during the same incident. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey P. Todd is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-96
Gary Dumont Riggs. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor by Force and Threat in Indian Country (Counts 1-4) (superseding). In counts 1-3, Dumont, 76, of Claremore, is alleged to have sexually abused a minor between the ages of 12 and 16 from May 1, 2014, to September 1, 2014. In count 4, he is charged with sexually abusing the same child between Dec. 1, 2014, and January 31, 2015. The FBI and Verdigris Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey P. Todd is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-176
Andrew Leon Roberts. Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country (Count 1); Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to Do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Count 2); Destruction of Property While Placing Life in Jeopardy in Indian Country (Count 3); Attempt to Commit Murder in Indian Country (Counts 4, 5). Roberts, 65, of Tulsa, is alleged to have assaulted three Tulsa police officers using his car as a weapon. According to a federal Criminal Complaint initially filed in the case, on March 5, 2022, two Tulsa police officers in separate marked patrol vehicles were transporting an arrestee when they saw Roberts driving erratically. One officer pulled his patrol vehicle to the side of the road because he believed Roberts was trying to flag him down or get his attention. Instead, Roberts accelerated, closely passed the officer’s vehicle, struck the side mirror, and continued at a high rate of speed toward the second patrol vehicle trying to strike it from behind. The second officer was able to take evasive action to avoid a collision. Roberts then turned around and drove toward the first officer’s parked vehicle and attempted to T-bone the patrol vehicle with the officer inside. The officer was also able to take evasive action and avoid a second collision. Roberts then fled in his car. The officers were unable to follow since they were transporting the arrestee.
In an incident later that day, a man called 911 when Roberts showed up at his residence, argued with him and threatened to ram his vehicle into the man’s residence. The man demanded he leave. A Tulsa Police Officer responded, and as she neared the residence, she saw Roberts approaching in his vehicle at a high rate of speed from behind her. The officer accelerated her patrol vehicle to lessen the impact of a collision. Roberts allegedly struct the officer’s vehicle from behind then drove his vehicle to the driver’s side of the patrol vehicle and continued to ram the vehicle as the officer attempted to drive away. The officer was able to maneuver her vehicle away, but Roberts again accelerated toward the officer and attempted to strike her head on. During the incident, another officer arrived and parked nearby. He observed Roberts’ continued attempts to strike the first officer’s vehicle. The officer exited his own patrol vehicle and walked to its rear, drawing his firearm. Roberts then allegedly turned his vehicle toward the second officer and accelerated in his direction in an attempt to run over him. The officer fired at Roberts and jumped out of the way to avoid being struck. Roberts drove in a circle around the officer and his vehicle. He finally struck a tree and came to a stop. Roberts was shot during the incident and taken by ambulance to a hospital. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina S. Gilmore is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-95
Alton Jarae Rose. First Degree Burglary in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Tampering with a Witness and Victim by Using the Threat of Physical Force. On March 4, 2022, Rose, 34, of Tulsa, allegedly broke into a residence while the occupant was sleeping and assaulted her. When she attempted to call for help, he brandished a firearm and threatened to kill her if she called police. Rose was also charged with being a felon in possession of the Taurus .38 Special caliber revolver, along with ammunition. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-94
Brittany Michelle Watts; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Watts, 29, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams of methamphetamine. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn McCormick is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-93
3 Universal Aryan Brotherhood Gang Members Sentenced for their Roles in a Racketeering EnterpriseRead the Press Release
Three Universal Aryan Brotherhood gang members were sentenced this week in federal court for conspiring to participate in a racketeering enterprise that committed acts of murder, kidnapping, the trafficking of methamphetamine and firearms, money laundering, assault, and robbery throughout the State of Oklahoma, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Christopher K. Baldwin, 42, and Robert W. Zeidler, 48, were each sentenced to 264 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Charles M. McCully, 44, was sentenced to 151 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
In December 2021, Baldwin and Zeidler pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise and to drug conspiracy. In November 2021, McCully pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise and to kidnapping. The defendants refused to cooperate with the government.
“The Universal Aryan Brotherhood committed egregious acts of violence and distributed an estimated 2,500 kilograms of methamphetamine annually throughout Oklahoma,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Led by agents from IRS-Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations, nine law enforcement agencies joined together to bring these three defendants and 15 other UAB members and associates to justice. I commend our partners for their outstanding work.”
“The significant sentences of these criminals send a strong message that those involved in criminal enterprises committing heinous acts of violence and drug trafficking will face swift justice,” said Christopher Miller, acting Special Agent in Charge HSI Dallas. “Working in conjunction with our law enforcement partners, our agency is relentless in the pursuit of dismantling transnational criminal organizations wherever they operate.”
Baldwin and Zeidler were key players involved in UAB operations while imprisoned in the Oklahoma State Penitentiary at McAlester.
Baldwin admitted to being part of the gang from at least 1999 to 2017 and that during part of that time, he sat on the “Main Council,” the UAB’s highest governing body. Baldwin said he was involved directly or indirectly as a coconspirator in crimes of drug dealing, witness intimidation, money laundering and other crimes of violence.
Zeidler helped lead the gang’s methamphetamine operation. Zeidler admitted to joining the gang and to committing or causing to be committed crimes related to the racketeering enterprise and drug conspiracy.
Baldwin and Zeidler also admitted to knowingly and willfully agreeing with others to possess with intent to distribute in excess of 500 grams of methamphetamine. As part of the UAB’s operations, members and associates participated in a significant and widespread methamphetamine distribution scheme directed by incarcerated UAB leaders.
McCully stated in his plea agreement that he had been a member of the UAB since 2005 and admitted that members commit various crimes such as murder, kidnapping, witness intimidation, home invasions, and drug dealing for the gang. McCully stated that on Oct. 26, 2014, he and others kidnapped two individuals and held them against their will because they believed the individuals had provided law enforcement with information about a UAB stash house. While they held the victims, McCully and the others threatened them and used tarps, shovels, blow torches and other items in an attempt to scare and intimidate the victims.
The three men were charged in an indictment along with 15 others in December 2018.
Codefendant Eddie Funkhouser, 51, will be sentenced April 12. Funkhouser previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise and to kidnapping but refused to cooperate with the United States. The plea agreement, if accepted by U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan, stipulates that Funkhouser will serve 15 years in prison.
The UAB is a white supremacist prison-based gang with members operating inside and outside of state prisons throughout Oklahoma.
The UAB was established in 1993 within the Oklahoma Department of Corrections and modeled itself after the principles and ideology of the Aryan Brotherhood, a California-based prison gang that formed in the 1960s.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, Oklahoma Department of Corrections, Tulsa and Enid Police Departments, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis A. Fries is prosecuting this case.
Man Pleads Guilty to Delaware County Murder and AssaultRead the Press Release
A Jay man pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court for shooting and killing his mother and wounding a second victim, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Christopher Weeley, 42, pleaded guilty to second degree murder in Indian Country and assault with intent to commit murder in Indian Country.
Weeley admitted that on March 6, 2021, he killed his mother, Annie Marie Weeley, by shooting her in the chest. He also admitted to shooting a second family member two times during the domestic violence incident.
“Christopher Weeley’s acts of deadly violence forever changed a Delaware County family,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “My thoughts are with the surviving victim as she struggles to recover from the shooting and with the entire family as this case moves through the justice system. I encourage any family experiencing violence to seek assistance from law enforcement and victim service agencies who can help provide critical safety information and resources.”
“The unfathomable assaults of the Weeley family members is nothing a household should ever experience,” said Ed Gray, FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Oklahoma City Field Office. “We hope they find solace in knowing this heinous crime will not go unpunished and the FBI, in collaboration with its partners, will continue to work relentlessly in pursuit of maintaining safety and order with our communities.”
On March 6, 2021, a Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputy was dispatched to a home in Jay. While en route, he received a radio call advising him there was a report of shots fired at the home with two possible victims. When he arrived at 11:17 pm, he found Annie Marie Weeley wounded and unresponsive on the floor and a second family member on the couch with gunshot wounds to her stomach and lower back.
The two victims were transported to the hospital, where the mother was pronounced dead. The second victim underwent emergency surgery.
Christopher Weeley was located approximately one hour later exiting a black sedan. Weeley refused to obey deputies’ commands and resisted arrest. He was ultimately subdued and taken into custody. During a law enforcement interview, Weeley told investigators the location where he discarded the .22 caliber revolver used in the incident, and deputies retrieved the firearm.
The FBI and Delaware County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan M. Roberts is prosecuting the case.
If you or someone you know is experiencing or has experienced family violence, you are not alone, and there are services available to help. The following agencies provide 24/7 phone lines to victims in northeastern Oklahoma:
- Cherokee Nation One Fire, located in Tahlequah:24 hour line 918-772-4260.
-Muscogee Nation Family Violence Prevention Program, located in Okmulgee and other satellite offices: 24-hour line 918- 732-7979
-The Delaware Tribe of Indians Family and Children, located in Bartlesville: 24-Hour line: 918-331-7349
All three of the above agencies assist Indian and non-Indian victims.
-Domestic Violence Intervention Services (DVIS) located in Tulsa: 24-hour line 918.7HELP.ME (918.743.5763).
-Tulsa’s Family Safety Center also provides assistance and resources to domestic violence victims Monday-Friday from 8 am to 5 pm: (918) 742-7480. (this is NOT a 24 hour number).
-Victims may also seek information and assistance at the National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-SAFE (7233); National Sexual Assault Hotline, 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), and the StrongHearts Native Helpline, 1-844-7NATIVE (762-8483). In addition, you can find a resources page on the Office on Violence Against Women’s website. The page includes contact information for state domestic violence coalitions that can direct you to local resources and services.
For emergency services, call 911.
Claremore Man Pleads Guilty to Assault of a Dating Partner by StranglingRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Jessy Pearson, 26, of Claremore, pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court to assault of an intimate/dating partner by strangling and suffocating in Indian Country.
“Jessy Pearson violently attacked his girlfriend and has now been held accountable thanks to federal prosecutor Steven Briden and the dedicated law enforcement professionals at the FBI and Rogers County Sheriff’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to uphold our federal trust responsibility within Indian Country and work closely with federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement to ensure perpetrators of domestic violence are brought to justice.”
On May 4, 2021, after a verbal altercation, Pearson grabbed his dating partner by the throat and started strangling her. He then took her phone when she tried to text a friend for help. As she attempted to leave, Pearson again grabbed her by the neck and pushed her against the wall. The victim was eventually able to retrieve her phone and call her friend. She reported the crime to authorities and requested an emergency protective order.
The FBI and Rogers County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
“The FBI is committed to bringing individuals to justice who demonstrate flagrant apathy for the well-being of others,” said Special Agent in Charge Ed Gray, FBI Oklahoma City Division. “Our strong partnerships with law enforcement agencies like the Rogers County Sheriff’s Office help us investigate these types of cases and hold offenders accountable for their actions.”
The victim in the case is an enrolled tribal citizen. According to the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) study on Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women and Men, American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) people face disproportionate levels of violence.
- 1 in every 2 AI/AN women and 1 in 3 AI/AN men have experienced physical violence by intimate partners in their lifetime.
- 56.1% of AI/AN women and 27.5% of AI/AN men report experiencing sexual violence in their lifetime, with many of these assaults at the hands of non-Indian perpetrators.
If you or someone you know is experiencing or has experienced sexual and/or family violence, you are not alone, and there are services available to help. The following agencies provide 24/7 phone lines for victims in northeastern Oklahoma:
-Muscogee Nation Family Violence Prevention Program, located in Okmulgee and other satellite offices: 918-732-7979
- Cherokee Nation One Fire, located in Tahlequah: 918-772-4260.
-The Delaware Tribe of Indians Family and Children Services, located in Bartlesville: 918-331-7349
All three of the above agencies assist Indian and non-Indian victims.
-Domestic Violence Intervention Services (DVIS) located in Tulsa: 918.7HELP.ME (918-743-5763).
-Tulsa’s Family Safety Center also provides assistance and resources to domestic violence victims Monday-Friday from 8 am to 5 pm: (918) 742-7480. (this is NOT a 24 hour number).
Victims may also seek information and assistance at the National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-SAFE (7233); National Sexual Assault Hotline, 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), and the StrongHearts Native Helpline, 1-844-7NATIVE (762-8483). In addition, you can find a resources page on the Office on Violence Against Women’s website. The page includes contact information for state domestic violence coalitions that can direct you to resources and services in your area.
For emergency services, call 911.
Man Sentenced for 2015 Rape Near OSU-Tulsa CampusRead the Press Release
A Tulsa man was sentenced in federal court Tuesday for a rape he committed near the OSU-Tulsa campus in 2015.
“Eugene Nunley will spend 14 years in prison for the physical and emotional harm he has caused this victim,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “My team of federal prosecutors and victim specialists will continue to support survivors of sexual assault and fight for justice on their behalf.”
U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan sentenced Eugene Todd Nunley, 48, to 14 years in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release.
On Aug. 26, 2021, Nunley pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual abuse by force and threat in Indian Country.
The defendant admitted that he forced the female victim into a wooded area and raped her on Aug. 13, 2015. The victim was walking on the Osage Prairie Trail near 900 North Greenwood Avenue when Nunley attacked her from behind. Following the rape, the defendant told the victim she was “lucky” then ran away.
The victim reported the crime and told officers she did not know her attacker. In early September 2015, DNA testing revealed Nunley was the perpetrator. Officers located the defendant in the Creek County jail, where he was being held on unrelated charges.
Nunley, a Muscogee Nation citizen, was previously convicted of the 2015 rape in Tulsa County District Court. His conviction was overturned after the Cherokee Nation reservation was recognized as having never been disestablished by Congress. He was indicted in federal court in June 2021.
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chantelle D. Dial prosecuted the case.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2015 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, 21.3% of women and 2.6% of men living in the United States reported being raped or subject to attempted rape during their lifetime.
If you or someone you know is experiencing or has experienced sexual violence, you are not alone and there are services available to help, including the Sexual Assault Hotline, 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), and the StrongHearts Native Helpline, 1-844-7NATIVE (762-8483). In addition, you can find a resources page on the Office on Violence Against Women’s website. The page includes contact information for state sexual assault coalitions that can direct you to local resources and services, as well as opportunities to get involved.
18-Year-Old Indicted for First Degree MurderRead the Press Release
An 18-year-old Tulsa man who allegedly initiated a shooting that caused the death of one man and the serious injury of another was indicted this week in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Sir Michael Morgan Jr. was charged with first degree murder in Indian Country; assault with intent to commit murder in Indian Country; assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country; assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country; and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
On Jan. 29, 2022, Morgan Jr. allegedly murdered Isaiah Jones during a shooting that occurred on N. Johnstown Avenue in Tulsa. He is further alleged to have shot a 17-year-old minor with intent to commit murder during the same incident. During the exchange of gunfire, Morgan Jr. was also shot.
An individual who knew the two victims said he heard the gunshots from inside his home and transported the victims to the hospital. Once there, Jones was pronounced dead from multiple gunshot wounds. The second victim survived.
Morgan Jr. was transported by ambulance to the hospital where he was treated for two gunshot wounds.
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey P. Todd is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law
Man Pleads Guilty to 2017 Claremore MurderRead the Press Release
A Claremore man pleaded guilty today in federal court to a 2017 murder, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Michael Eugene Spears, 58, pleaded guilty to murder in the second degree.
“Defendant Michael Spears brutally took Mark McKinney’s life then planned to dispose of the victim’s body in a lake. Thankfully, someone reported the murder before he could hide his terrible crime,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Helping to ensure Spears’ conviction in federal court were a team of dedicated federal prosecutors, FBI agents, and officers with the Claremore Police Department.”
In his plea agreement, Spears admitted to stabbing the victim, Mark McKinney, multiple times with a machete, killing him. The murder occurred during an argument between the two men on Nov. 18, 2017.
Sometime after the murder, Spears told a relative what had happened and asked to borrow a truck to transport the victim’s body to a lake in an effort to hide his crime. Law enforcement was contacted the next morning.
Authorities discovered the victim with multiple stab wounds to his hands, neck and torso. According to the medical examiner’s report, the victim suffered wounds to his heart and both lungs during the stabbing. In addition, there was blunt force trauma to the victim’s head and body.
Spears had previously been 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 overturned, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.
The FBI and Claremore Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas E. Duncombe and Justin G. Bish are prosecuting the case
Man Pleads Guilty for Manufacturing a BombRead the Press Release
A man responsible for building an explosive device made with fireworks, treble hooks, rivets and other material pleaded guilty Friday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Zane Paul Bennett, 20, pleaded guilty to unlawful manufacture of a destructive device.
“Zane Bennett acted without regard for his own safety and others when he illegally manufactured a bomb containing large fishhooks, screws and rivets that could inflict serious bodily injury,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “I commend the Broken Arrow and Tulsa Police Departments, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the ATF for their continued professionalism and swift response following the discovery of the bomb.”
In his plea agreement, Bennett admitted that on January 23, 2022, he knowingly and illegally manufactured the explosive device, which was not registered with the National Firearms and Transfer Record, and that he intended to set it off. He stated that he manufactured the device while staying in a hotel in Broken Arrow. It was built with large round tubes, numerous fireworks (flash powder), other fireworks and a fuse. Inside the device, Bennett placed large treble hooks, screws and rivets.
Bennett was taken into custody on Jan. 24, 2022, after his girlfriend was stopped by Broken Arrow police officers following a shoplifting incident and officers noticed the device in the back seat of the vehicle. During the stop, the girlfriend called Bennett who then arrived on foot and asked if he could take possession of the vehicle if she was going to be detained. When asked about the device, Bennett told officers he recently manufactured it and intended to use it to destroy watermelons.
The Tulsa Police Department Bomb Squad x-rayed the explosive device, which showed several large fishhooks, screws, and rivets in the device. Also inside the device were a large quantity of small fireworks packed together. The device was dismantled and the components retained. After obtaining a search warrant of Bennett’s hotel room, officers and agents with the Broken Arrow Police Department and ATF located and seized fireworks and a metal rivet consistent with what was found in the destructive device.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Broken Arrow Police Department, Tulsa Police Department, and Oklahoma Highway Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert T. Raley and Christopher J. Nassar are prosecuting the case.
Former Preacher Pleads Guilty to Coercion and Enticement of 5 MinorsRead the Press Release
A Vinita man pleaded guilty Friday to enticing five minors whose ages ranged from 7 to 16 years old when the abuse occurred, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Roy Edward Williams, 63, pleaded guilty to five counts of coercion and enticement of a minor in Indian Country and to possession of child pornography.
“Roy Williams preyed upon five children over the course of 16 years. He violated their innocence, sense of safety, and trust,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “In several of these incidents, some adults failed to report the abuse. When children disclose they’ve been victims of sexual abuse, adults need to listen and act on their behalf. Children should not have to hide the abuse they’ve endured nor feel ashamed for the appalling actions of a predator.”
“The FBI and our law enforcement partners have a great responsibility to protect our vulnerable community members from the terrifying behaviors of sex offenders such as Roy Williams” said Ed Gray, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Oklahoma City Division. “We are grateful for our collaborative partnerships with the Craig County Sheriff’s Office, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in this case as we continue our work to fight child sexual abuse.”
Williams committed the sex crimes starting on or around November 2002 and as late as December 2018. According to court documents, Williams also took sexually explicit photographs of several of the victims, paid or offered something of value to several victims immediately following the sexual abuse, and threatened several victims to prevent them from reporting the abuse to others. The defendant was further found in possession of child pornography on June 24, 2019. During the period of the described abuse, Williams was a member and preacher at Bunker Hill Baptist in Vinita.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the 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.
The FBI, Craig County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leah Paisner and Edward Snow are prosecuting the case.
Tulsa Man Who Strangled and Assaulted Elderly Relative Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who strangled and assaulted an elderly female relative was sentenced this week in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Matthew Alan Joseph, 39, of Tulsa, to 10 years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.
“Far too many families struggle with the immediate and long-lasting trauma associated with domestic violence,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Every day, federal prosecutors in the Northern District of Oklahoma fight for justice on behalf of domestic violence victims. I am proud of their commitment to ensuring perpetrators of abuse are held accountable and families are kept safe.”
Joseph was charged in an indictment with being a felon in possession of the firearm and ammunition on Dec. 21, 2019, and with kidnapping the female relative, assaulting her using a knife, strangling the woman, and stealing her car on March 20, 2020. Joseph pleaded guilty to felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted to bringing a Colt .45 caliber pistol into a bar on South Peoria Avenue in Tulsa, and to having two rounds of ammunition and a magazine in his car. When calculating the sentence, Judge Frizzell took into consideration both the firearms conviction as well as the violent acts committed against the woman.
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven J. Briden and Jessica L. Wright prosecuted the case.
To learn about domestic violence related resources and to speak with an advocate, victims can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE, www.thehotline.org. Native American or Alaska Native victims can also call StrongHearts Native Helpline 1-844-7Native or www.strongheartshelpline.org.
For emergency services, call 911.
Felon Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
A felon and known gang member was sentenced Tuesday in federal court for illegally possessing firearms and ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Chief U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III sentenced Ricky Laron Shannon, 35, of Tulsa, to eight years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.
“The Tulsa Police Department apprehended Ricky Shannon for illegally possessing two firearms following multiple felony drug and larceny convictions,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Guns in the hands of felons is a recipe for violence. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Tulsa Police Department and the ATF will continue to use every law enforcement resource available to hold violent criminals accountable and reduce gun crime in neighborhoods across Tulsa.”
At a Sept. 29, 2021, hearing, Shannon pleaded guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Shannon admitted that on June 11, 2021, he possessed a Glock 30 .45 caliber pistol and 28 rounds of ammunition. He further admitted that on Aug.13, 2021, he possessed a different Glock 30 and 27 rounds of ammunition.
The first count stems from a traffic stop on June 11, 2021. According to an initial criminal complaint and affidavit filed in the case, Tulsa Police officers observed Shannon commit several traffic violations. Officers then pulled behind his vehicle and activated lights and sirens. The defendant continued forward slowly but did not initially yield to law enforcement. An officer observed Shannon make distinct reaching movements with his right hand toward the passenger’s side of the vehicle. He also noted that an object appeared to be in the defendant’s hand as he continued to drive forward slowly but erratically. Based on training and experience, the officer suspected the defendant might be trying to hide something before coming to a stop. Officers also noted Shannon was a felon and certified 107 Hoover gang member. During the stop, officers recovered a Glock 30 .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol loaded with a high capacity magazine.
Later on Aug. 13, 2021, Shannon was contacted by authorities and arrested based on a federal warrant stemming from his June 11, 2021 traffic stop. Officers found a different Glock 30 underneath the driver’s seat of the car along with a high capacity magazine and 27 rounds of ammunition. The firearm was both magazine and chamber loaded.
The Tulsa Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John E. Brasher and Mark R. Morgan prosecuted the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the 2150 Initiative. The initiative is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma, Tulsa Police Department, ATF, and all other local, state, tribal and federal law enforcement partners to combat violent crime by focusing efforts on prohibited persons in possession of firearms as well as those responsible as the “source” of the firearms to prohibited persons. The initiative was named in memory of Tulsa Police Sergeant Craig Johnson. Sgt. Johnson’s badge number, 2150, was selected for the initiative as a way to honor his life and his commitment to the Tulsa community.