Northern District of Oklahoma
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Former Pelco President Sentenced and Ordered to Pay More Than $3.6 Million in RestitutionRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge Terence C. Kern sentenced Phillip Barry Albert, 64, of Tulsa, to 30 months imprisonment, followed by 1 year of supervised release, for Tax Evasion. Judge Kern further ordered Albert to pay more than $3.6 million in restitution.
According to court documents, from 2004 through 2021, Phillip Barry Albert was the President of Pelco Structural (Pelco) in Claremore, Oklahoma. In 2014, Albert directed the company controller, Don Eagleton, to have the company’s payroll service provider issue “reimbursements” to Albert from Pelco, for undocumented expenses. He then had the “reimbursements” coded in the company’s financial documents in such a way that they would not appear as taxable income. He then willfully failed to pay taxes on the “reimbursement” payments. Prosecutors pointed out that Albert was previously employed as a tax preparer. Given Albert’s intelligence and the overall sophistication of the scheme, he knew the requests for “reimbursements” did not relate to any legitimate business expense.
From 2014 through 2019, Albert’s unreported income was $2,615,750. This left Albert owing more than $1 million in taxes. Because of Albert’s theft and related acts of embezzlement during his time at the company, Pelco calculates their actual total loss was more than $10 million, without taking into account the loss of business opportunities.
In a separate federal case, Don Eagleton pleaded guilty to knowingly concealing Albert’s fraudulent activity from authorities. He was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $1,543,000 in restitution.
Albert was permitted to remain on bond and ordered to voluntarily surrender on a specific date, to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The IRS Criminal Investigation and FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Duncombe and Trial Attorney Meredith M. Havekost of the Justice Department’s Tax Division prosecuted the case.
21-Year-Old Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison for Second-Degree MurderRead the Press Release
Today, U.S. District Judge J. Phillip Calabrese sentenced Josiah Gammill, 21, to 604 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release for Murder in the Second Degree.
According to court documents, in March 2021, Gammill was driving with Hunter Majors. They pulled off the side of a back road to use the restroom. Gammill retrieved a shotgun from the trunk of the car, shot Hunter twice, and left him to die. Gammill drove to a park and attempted to dispose of the shotgun and burn his clothes. Officers found Gammill hiding out at a hotel. After a search of Gammill’s phone, officers found a message bragging that he “wiped Hunter off the face of the earth.”
Gamill is a citizen of the Quapaw Nation and the victim was a citizen of the Choctaw Nation. Gamill will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The FBI, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Craig County Sheriff’s Office, and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Roberts and Niko Boulieris prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about PSN, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
March Federal Grand Jury 2023-B Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the March Federal Grand Jury 2023-B Indictments.
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.
Darrius Malik Brown. Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number; Receipt of a Firearm While Under Indictment for a Felony. Brown, 25, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a handgun with the serial number removed. Brown allegedly possessed a firearm while he was under indictment. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, FBI, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Elmore is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-083
Lee Scott Holt; Jennifer Charisa Harrington. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition (Counts 1 and 2); Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Count 3); Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (Count 4); Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crimes; Prior Conviction Allegation for a Serious Drug Felony (Count 5) (superseding). Holt, 59, and Harrington, 48, of Collinsville, are charged with possessing a firearm knowing they’d been convicted of felonies in various states. They both allegedly possessed methamphetamine while maintaining a residence for distribution of drugs. They are further charged with possessing a firearm while drug trafficking. Holt is a Cherokee Nation member. Homeland Security Investigations, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, and the Cherokee Nation Marshals are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mike Flesher and Justin Bish are prosecuting the case. 24-CR-050
Jonathan Eliezer Miranda Juarez. Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity; Coercion and Enticement of a Minor (superseding). Juarez, 29, of Commerce, is charged with transporting a minor victim with intent to engage in sexual activity Aug. 2023. He is further charged with knowingly persuading and coercing a minor victim from Aug. 2020 through Aug. 2023. The Homeland Security Investigations, Indiana Delphi Police Department, Commerce Police Department, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-347
Adam Joseph King. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under 12 in Indian Country (Counts 1 & 3); Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor Under 12 in Indian Country (Counts 2 & 4) King, 35, of Pryor and a member of the Delaware Tribe of Indians, is charged with knowingly engaging in a sexual act with a minor victim under 12 years old. He is further charged with allegedly causing and engaging in abusive sexual contact with the same victim. The FBI and Catoosa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chantelle Dial and Valeria Luster are prosecuting the case. 24-CR-081
Bryon Alan Lee. Production of Child Pornography; Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country; Commission of Felony Sex Offense Involving a Minor by a Registered Sex Offender. Lee, 31, of Sapulpa and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with using a victim under 12 years old to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct. He is further charged with receiving, distributing, and possessing images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. Lee allegedly committed a felony offense involving a minor child while being required to register as a sex offender. The Homeland Security Investigations Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse, and Sapulpa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-084
Cameron Lynn. First Degree Murder in Indian Country; 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; Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country. Lynn, 33, of Tulsa and a member of the Choctaw Nation, is charged with willfully and deliberately killing Alcides Monroig in Feb. 2024. Lynn allegedly used a dangerous weapon to do bodily harm to a separate victim. He is further charged with using a firearm in a crime of violence which resulted in serious bodily injury. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth Elmore and Stephen Flynn are prosecuting the case. 24-CR-076
Hong Thoa Thi Nguyen; Tait Hunter Jaco; Tam Duc Nguyen; Trinh Nguyen. Drug Conspiracy; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute (superseding). Hong Nguyen, 44, Jaco, 32, Tam Nguyen, 56, and Trinh Nguyen, 36, of Tulsa are charged with conspiring to distribute cocaine in Nov. 2023. Hong Nguyen and Jaco were also charged for maintaining a residence for drug distribution. Jaco was further charged for possessing cocaine with intent to distribute. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Bailey is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-407
Dustin Colby Phillips. Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country. Phillips, 37, of Vinita and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with assaulting a victim that resulted in serious bodily injury. The FBI and Vinita Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Flynn is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-077
Eron Torres-Gaytan; Donald Edward Beckett; John Harden Tucker. Drug Conspiracy (Count 1); Manufacturing of Methamphetamine (Count 2); Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Counts 3 and 4); Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (Count 5); Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien (Count 6). Torres-Gaytan, 27, a Mexican national; Beckett, 30, of Mounds; Tucker, 54, of Tulsa, is charged with conspiring to distribute methamphetamine in Feb. 2024. Torres-Gaytan allegedly manufactured and possessed more than 500 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Beckett is further charged with possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Torres-Gaytan and Tucker are charged with allegedly maintaining a residence to distribute methamphetamine. Additionally, Torres-Gaytan is charged with being an alien residing in the United States after being removed in Sep. 2021. The FBI, Tulsa Police Department, and Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-079
Hank Sallee Williams. Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in Death; Distribution of Fentanyl to a Minor; Use of a Communication Facility in Committing, Causing, and Facilitating the Commission of a Drug Trafficking Felony. Williams, 23, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly distributing fentanyl, which resulted in the death of Xander Tewis. Williams allegedly distributed fentanyl to someone under 21 years old and used a telephone for communication while drug trafficking. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-080
Tulsa Man Sentenced as Repeat Offender for Distributing Child Pornography while Failing to Abide by Sex Offender RequirementsRead the Press Release
Today, U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Mikaili Diwani Cohn, 26, to 180 months of imprisonment, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release for Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography; and Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Upon his release, Cohn will be required to abide by sex offender registration requirements.
In Cohn’s first federal case, he pleaded guilty in June 2017 to Possession of Child Pornography and was sentenced to 48 months imprisonment, followed by 20 years supervised release. After being released, Cohn registered his residence following the offender registration requirements. However, in April 2022, U.S. Probation officers observed Cohn living at a different address with his girlfriend and her child. When Cohn was arrested, officers recovered evidence that showed Cohn used a social media application to send and receive sexually explicit videos of minors.
Cohn will remain in custody pending transfer to U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The U.S. Probation Office, U.S. Marshals Service, and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Depew Man Sentenced for Child Sex Crimes After Federal Jury Trial ConvictionRead the Press Release
Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Eric F. Melgren sentenced Johnny Lee Summers, 24, of Depew. Summers was convicted by a federal jury in March 2023 for Coercion and Enticement of a Minor; Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country; and Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country. Summers was sentenced to 340 months imprisonment, followed by 15 years of supervised release. Judge Melgren further ordered that Summers register as a sex offender upon his release.
During the trial, three victims testified against Summers explaining how he took advantage of them. From February 2021 through January 2022, Summers sought out and coerced one of the victims, who was 14 years old. Summers wanted to engage in sexual activity and sent her thousands of sexually inappropriate messages. He requested that she send him nude photos and eventually sexually abused her.
Summers is a citizen of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The FBI, Tulsa Police Department, and Creek County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Valeria Luster and Steven Briden prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Salina Man Sentenced for Three Counts of Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
Today, U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced David Olice Sitsler, III, for three counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Sitsler, 36, was sentenced to 96 months, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Judge Frizzell further ordered Sitsler to pay $625 in restitution.
In February 2022, Sitsler was in an argument with his wife. She called a friend to pick her up. When she tried to leave, Sitsler shot at the car she was in, hitting one of the passengers.
Sitsler is a citizen of Cherokee Nation. He will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Mayes County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
March Federal Grand Jury 2024-A Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the March Federal Grand Jury 2024-A Indictments.
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.
Fernando Gonzalez-Leyva. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Gonzalez-Leyva, 53, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Oct. 2017, at or near Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Attila Bogdan is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-065
Wesley Dale Pedro, Jr. 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; Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to an Intimate/Dating Partner in Indian Country; Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding (Misdemeanor). Pedro, 54, of Tulsa, and member of Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, is charged with intentionally assaulting a victim with a dangerous weapon and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence in Sep. 2021. He allegedly assaulted a victim whom he had an intimate relationship with on Sep. 29, 2021. He is further charged with assaulting the same victim on Sep. 30, 2021. The FBI, Tulsa Police Department, and Coweta Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Briden is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-066
Jacob Dean Rowell. Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a
Drug Trafficking Crime; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Possession of Drug Manufacturing Equipment. Rowell, 27, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He allegedly maintained a residence for the distribution of fentanyl. Rowell is further charged with possessing a machine to manufacture controlled substances. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, Tulsa Police Department, and Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Nasar is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-069Tallo Dominic Williams. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Williams, 48, of Bristow, is charged with knowingly failing to register as a sex offender from Aug. 2023 through the date of the Indictment. The U.S. Marshal Service is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-067
Tulsa Man Sentenced for Second Degree Murder of a JuvenileRead the Press Release
Today, U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Christian James Harrison, 21, of Tulsa to 300 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release for Second Degree Murder in Indian Country.
According to court documents, in December 2021, Tulsa Police Officers responded to a “shots fired” call. Upon arrival, officers found a juvenile victim with three gunshot wounds. Officers interviewed several witnesses. Each witness identified Harrison as the shooter. According to the witnesses, Harrison was arguing with the victim’s brother. As the argument escalated, Harrison pulled a gun from his waistband. Harrison shot approximately seven times toward the brother, missing him, and hitting the victim. The juvenile victim later succumbed to the injuries and died.
Harrison is a citizen of the Seminole Nation. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Briden prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
A New York Man is Sentenced for Sexual Abuse and Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – U.S. District Judge John D. Russell, sentenced Carlos Caraballo, 28, of Bellport, New York, to 324 months of imprisonment, followed by lifetime supervision for Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country and Production of Child Pornography. Upon his release, Caraballo will also be required to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, in 2021, Caraballo met a 13-year-old minor victim in a chat room. After conversing with the child long-distance via computer and phone, Caraballo drove from New York to Oklahoma. While he was in Oklahoma, Caraballo engaged in sexual acts with the minor and took sexually explicit photos of the minor.
The minor is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. Caraballo will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Vani Singhal prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Former Nowata Teacher Sentenced for Abusive Sexual Contact and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A former Nowata Middle School teacher was sentenced today for Coercion and Enticement of a Minor in Indian Country and Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge John F. Heil, III, sentenced Kenneth Colby Martinez, 26, Bartlesville, to 120 months imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release. Upon his release, Martinez will also be required to register as a sex offender.
“Kenneth Martinez violated the trust of the Nowata community and took advantage of a student he was entrusted with,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “No child should ever need to question if school is a safe place. My office will continue to pursue those who prey on vulnerable children.”
According to court documents, Martinez began communicating with a student at Nowata Middle School during the 2021-2022 school year. He started coercing and enticing the student through messaging applications. The messages eventually became sexual in nature. On several occasions, Martinez's abusive sexual contact happened in a classroom with the student.
Martinez is not an Indian. The student is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. The crimes occurred within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation. Martinez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI and Nowata Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Valeria G. Luster and Aaron Jolly prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Bixby Man Sentenced for RobberyRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – U.S. District Judge R. Brooke Jackson sentenced Waylon Cody Johnson, 24, to 65 months imprisonment, followed by 2 years of supervised release for Obstructing, Delaying, and Affecting Commerce by Robbery. Judge Jackson further ordered Johnson to pay $277.09 in restitution.
According to court documents, on August 21, 2022, Johnson walked into a Subway store with a gun demanding the store employee to “give [him] all the money.” Johnson threatened to kill the employee if they attempted to contact the police and not comply with his demands. It was later determined the gun Johnson used in the robbery was a replica gun that looked like a pistol.
Johnson is a member of the Seneca-Cayuga Nation. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI and Sapulpa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin G. Bish prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Pryor Man Sentenced for Abusive Sexual Contact with a MinorRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – In June 2023, a federal jury found White guilty on two counts of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor Under 12 years of Age in Indian Country and one count of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country.
Today, U.S. District Judge R. Brooke Jackson sentenced Ricky Leroy White, 33, to 135 months imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release. Upon release, White will be required to register as a sex offender.
“Ricky White repeatedly preyed upon two children who should’ve been able to trust him. Both victims were courageous and testified in federal court exposing the abuse,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “My office will not slow down our relentless pursuit to hold accountable perpetrators of child sexual abuse.”
According to court documents, from June 2010 through June 2017, White sexually abused two children who
lived with him. Prosecutors argued that White has shown no remorse for his actions and that he did not suffer from a
solitary lapse in judgment. White was calculated and deliberate with his sexual abuse and would take advantage of the two children while they were sleeping.White is a member of the Cherokee Nation. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI and Mayes County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Nassar, Leah Paisner, and Ashley Robert prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
February Federal Grand Jury 2023-B Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the February Federal Grand Jury 2023-B Indictments.
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.
Cesar Arvizo. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Arvizo, 44, of Burlington, Colorado, is charged with conspiring to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine in Feb. 2024. He is further charged with knowingly possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and Texas Department of Public Safety are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-059
Marco Dionte Atkins. 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. Atkins, 19, of Tulsa, a Muscogee (Creek) Nation member, is charged with intentionally assaulting the victim with a dangerous weapon in Nov. 2023. He is further charged with knowingly carrying and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Dowdell is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-051
Jason Nathaniel Daugherty. Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country. Daugherty, 38, of Broken Arrow, a Cherokee Nation member, is charged with involuntary manslaughter after driving left of center line under the influence of alcohol, killing Sherrie Tucker in Mar. 2023. The Tulsa Police Department is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Brandon is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-052
Juan Adolfo De Lira-Davila. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Lira-Davila, 31, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Oct. 2015, at or near Del Rio, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ammon Brisolara is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-061
Christopher Glenn Drake. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Felon in Possession of a Firearm; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. Drake, 43, of Tulsa, is charged with conspiring to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine in Jan 2024. He allegedly possessed fentanyl and methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Drake possessed a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, knowing he was previously convicted of a felony in Wagoner County. He is further charged with maintaining a residence for distributing drugs. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-058
Sarah Elizabeth Neighbors; Roselinde Faith Serna; Kylie Raeanne Clarkson. Drug Conspiracy (Counts 1 and 2); Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Count 3); Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute (Count 4); Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (Count 5). Neighbors, 33, of Choteau, Serna, 29 and Clarkson, 35, of Tulsa, are charged with conspiring to distribute and knowingly possessing more than 400 grams of fentanyl with intent to distribute in Jan. 2024. Neighbors is further charged with intentionally possessing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and maintaining a residence for distribution of drugs in Jan. 2024. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-054
Jorge Luis Peres Ambriz. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Perez Ambriz, 32, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Sep. 2018, at or near El Paso, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ammon Brisolara is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-060
Greg Allen Reddout. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Reddout, 44, of Tulsa, a Cherokee Nation member, is charged with intentionally assaulting the victim with a dangerous weapon in Feb. 2024. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Valeria Luster is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-055
Luis Gerardo Trejo-Zambrano; Luis Antonio Soria; Bryan Ulysses Martinez; Darmel Dashun Batemon Jr.; Marcos Zamrano-Rivera Jr.; Kalob Nathaniel Burton; Christopher Yahir Martinez. Conspiracy and Attempt to Traffick Firearms (Counts 1 and 3); Kidnapping (Count 2); Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition (Counts 4, 9 and 10); Possession of an Unregistered Silencer (Count 5); Receipt of a Firearm While Under Indictment for a Felony (Count 6); Transporting Firearms in Interstate Commerce While Under Indictment (Counts 7 and 8) (superseding). Trejo-Zambrano, 22, of Watts, Soria, 21, of Siloam Springs, AR, Bryan Martinez, 18, of Springdale, AR, are charged with conspiring to dispose of one or more firearms on Sep. 10, 2023. Trejo-Zambrano, Soria, Bryan Martinez, and Zamarbrano-Rivera, 22, of Springdale, AR, knowingly kidnapped someone on Sep. 10, 2023. Trejo-Zambrano, Batemon, 21, of North Little Rock, AR, Burton, 23, Maumelle, AR, and Christopher Martinez, 20, of Little Rock, AR, allegedly conspired to dispose of one or more firearms between Sep. 15 and Sep. 16, 2023. Trejo-Zambrano purportedly possessed an unregistered silencer and willfully received a firearm knowing he was under indictment. Soria and Batemon are also charged with transporting firearms while under indictment. Trejo-Zambrano, Zambrano-Rivera, and Burton are further charged with possessing a firearm after being convicted of one or more felonies in various states. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Elmore and John Brasher are prosecuting the case. 24-CR-045
Morgan Cole Womack. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Womack, 40, of Tulsa, is charged with conspiring to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. He is further charged with intentionally possessing methamphetamine for distribution. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-057
Woman Sentenced for Evidence TamperingRead the Press Release
A Tulsa woman was sentenced today for three counts of Evidence Tampering, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Ashton Nikoel Mattingly, 31, of Tulsa to 144 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to court documents, in Feb. 2021, Mattingly knew she was the target of a federal Grand Jury investigation. She instructed a third party to go into her home and remove a pill bottle so it would not be available as evidence in the investigation. Mattingly then instructed the third party to tamper with her social media account, attempting to disable the account. She then contacted a different third party instructing them to falsify that her cellphone was stolen and to request the service to be disabled. Mattingly admitted that she knowingly intended to obstruct the Grand Jury investigation.
Mattingly will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vani Singhal and Timothy Faerber prosecuted the case.
Tulsa Man Sentenced for Intentionally Ramming into 3 Police CarsRead the Press Release
Andrew Leon Roberts, 67, of Tulsa was sentenced today for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country and Destruction of Property While Placing Life in Jeopardy in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Roberts to 120 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to court documents, witnesses observed Roberts trying to run people off the road with his vehicle. Roberts came upon two Tulsa Police officers there were transporting an unrelated arrestee to jail. He then side swiped the first officers patrol car and attempted to rear end the second patrol car. Roberts turned around and attempted to T-bone the second patrol car, who was able to evade the attempt. Roberts then left the scene.
Later that day, Roberts was at his friend’s house. He began threatening to ram his friend’s vehicle. The friend asked Roberts to leave and called 911. Witness said that Roberts was driving erratically through the neighborhood. He pulled up to an elderly witness and stated to leave the area because, “there was going to be a killing.”
As officers responded to the 911 call, Roberts was still in the neighborhood. Upon sight of the first responding officer, Roberts immediately began ramming into a third patrol car several times. His rampage was finally stopped when an officer discharged their duty weapon at Roberts, while Roberts attempted to run him over. This caused Roberts to wreck into a tree where he was taken into custody.
Roberts is a member of the Cherokee Nation. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon Cozzoni prosecuted the case.
February Federal Grand Jury 2023-A Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the February Federal Grand Jury 2023-A Indictments.
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.
Nathan Dewayne Burks. 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; Felon in Possession of Ammunition (superseding). Nathan Dwayne Burks, 32, a Cherokee Nation member, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He is further charged with possessing ammunition after being convicted of 3 felonies in Muscogee (Creek) Nation District Court. The FBI and Sand Springs Police Department are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Cyran is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-312
Juan Cervando Cervantes Sepulveda. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Cervantes Sepulveda, 37, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Jun. 2022, at or near Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-038
Nicholas Kyle Dietzel. Attempted Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under 12 Years of Age; Attempted Interstate Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct with a Person Under 18 Years of Age; Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor; Attempted Distribution of Child Pornography to a Minor; Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country. Dietzel, 43, of Tulsa, a Cherokee Nation member, is charged with attempting to cross State lines to entice a minor under 12 years old to engage in a sexual act. He allegedly attempted to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. Dietzel also attempted to distribute videos depicting the sexual abuse of children to a minor. He is further charged with knowingly receiving, possessing, and distributing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. Homeland Security Investigations – Tulsa, Homeland Security Investigations – Phoenix, Tulsa International Airport Police Department, Tulsa Police Department, Tulsa County Sherriff’s Office, Creek County Sherriff’s Office, and Collinsville Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-30
Mark Alfred Foreman. First Degree Burglary in Indian Country (Counts 1 and 2); Second Degree Burglary in Indian Country (Count 3); Third Degree Burglary in Indian Country (Counts 4 through 7). Foreman, 37, of Tulsa, a Sac and Fox Nation member, is charged with breaking into the home of three separate individuals in Nov. 2023. He is further charged with breaking into the vehicles of four separate individuals in Nov. 2023. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Flynn is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-044
Freddie Dewayne Gaskey. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of an Unregistered Weapon Made from a Shotgun. Gaskey, 46, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition after he had previously been convicted of several felonies in various Oklahoma District Courts. He is further charged with possessing an unregistered shotgun. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and U.S. Marshal Service are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin G. Bish is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-039
Christin Brianna Kelley. Second Degree Murder in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Kelley, 33, of Sapulpa, a Muscogee (Creek) Nation member, is charged with killing Isaac Smith in Jan. 2024. She is further charged with discharging a firearm during a crime of violence and possessing a firearm and ammunition after being convicted of three felonies in Tulsa County District Court. The FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Sand Springs Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric O. Johnston and Stephen J. Flynn are prosecuting the case. 24-CR-040
Timothy Don Major, Jr. Coercion and Enticement of a Minor; Receipt of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country. Major, 34, of Tulsa, a Cherokee Nation member, is charged with persuading and enticing a minor child under 18 years old. He is further charged with knowingly receiving and possessing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children under 12 years old. Homeland Security Investigations, Tulsa Police Department and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-033
Victor Adrian Medina-Beltran. Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute. Medlina-Beltran, 37, a Honduran national, is charged with knowingly and intentionally possessing over 5 kilograms of cocaine with intent to distribute. The Drug Enforcement Administration – Tulsa and El Paso Division, Tulsa Police Department, and Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Nasar is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-032
Cavin Tyler Morgan. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Counts 1 through 3); Making a Materially False, Fictitious, and Fraudulent Statement (Counts 4 and 5); Tampering with Evidence by Corrupt Persuasion (Count 6). Morgan, 27, of Welch, a Cherokee Nation member, is charged with assaulting three individuals with a dangerous weapon. He is further charged with making false statements to law enforcement and persuading someone to conceal evidence in Jan. 2024. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Craig County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen N. Scaife and John Brasher are prosecuting the case. 24-CR-041
Robert Ivan Nading. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of an Unregistered Weapon Made from a Shotgun Having a Barrel of Less Than 18 Inches in Length; 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 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 (superseding). Nading, 55, of Welch, a Cherokee Nation member, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition after previously being convicted of felonies in Kansas and Ohio. He allegedly possessed an unregistered shotgun, with intent to do bodily harm to two individuals while discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. He is further charged with intent to do bodily harm to a third individual while brandishing a firearm in Apr. 2023. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Craig County Sherriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Dowdell is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-250
Jovin Roque-Avila. Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm. Roque-Avile, 26, a Honduras national, is charged with knowing he was an illegal alien and unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition in Dec. 2023. The Homeland Security Investigations and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shakema M. Onias is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-042
Ronald Dale Sanders. Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity; Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country; Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country; Tampering with Evidence by Corrupt Persuasion; Coercion and Enticement of a Minor; Production of Child Pornography (superseding). Ronald Dale Sanders, 55, of Belton, Missouri, is charged with traveling to engage in a sexual act with an Indian child under the age of 16, from Aug. 2023 through Oct. 2023. He allegedly attempted to destroy or conceal evidence as well as coercing and enticing the child. He is further charged with enticing a minor for the purpose of producing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. The FBI, Ottawa County Sherriff’s Office, Miami Police Department, and Oklahoma Highway Patrol are investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Hockenbury is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-354
Luis Gerardo Trejo-Zambrano; Luis Antonio Soria; Bryan Ulysses Martinez; Darmel Dashun Batemon Jr. Conspiracy and Attempt to Traffick Firearms (Counts 1 and 3); Kidnapping (Count 2); Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition (Count 4); Possession of an Unregistered Silencer (Count 5); Receipt of a Firearm While Under Indictment for a Felony (Count 6); Transporting Firearms in Interstate Commerce While Under Indictment (Counts 7 and 8). Trejo-Zambrano, 22, of Watts, Soria, 21, of Siloam Springs, AR, Martinez, 18, of Springdale, AR, and are charged with conspiring to dispose of one or more firearms. Trejo-Zambrano, Soria, and Martinez knowingly kidnapped a victim. Batemon, 21, of North Little Rock, AR, Trejo-Zambrano, and Soria are also charged with transporting firearms while under indictment. Trejo-Zambrano is further charged with allegedly conspiring to dispose of a firearm and possessing an unregistered silencer. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Elmore and John Brasher are prosecuting the case. 24-CR-045
Two Men Plead Guilty to Carjacking and RobberyRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Today in federal court, Ray Alexander Villalba, 21, of Arizona, and Elijah Paul Titone, 25, of Muskogee plead guilty to Carjacking; Carrying and Using a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Obstructing, Delaying, and Affecting Commerce by Robbery; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.
According to both plea agreements, on December 3, 2022, Villalba and Titone messaged a victim to meet up through a dating app. Villalba and Titone took guns, duct tape, and masks. They hid in bushes and when the victim arrived, they hit, bound, and blindfolded him. They forced the victim to turn over the keys to his vehicle. Villalba drove, while Titone rode in the back with the victim. They threatened him and his family if he did not comply with their commands. Blindfolded and bound, the victim was forced out of the car where Villablba and Titone drove off. The victim was able to break the binding and walked home. He contacted the Tulsa Police Department and reported the vehicle stolen.
During a second incident on December 6, 2022, Villalba and Titone broke into a home in Broken Arrow wearing ski masks and carrying firearms. They threatened the victim in the home and demanded marijuana. The victim did not comply and Villalba hit him in the eye with his firearm. As a result, the victim lost sight in that eye. Before leaving the home, they took his cell phone and keys.
Villalba and Titone will remain in custody awaiting sentencing. They both face multiple term of imprisonment including up to life for the firearm offenses. At sentencing, the federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Tulsa Police Department, and Broken Arrow Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth Elmore and John Brasher are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Tulsa Gang Member Sentenced for Second Degree MurderRead the Press Release
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Sir Michael Morgan, Jr., 20, of Tulsa to 210 months imprisonment, followed by
5 years of supervised release for Second Degree Murder in Indian Country.“Gang rivalry and gun violence resulted in the senseless death of Isaiah Jones,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Today’s sentence reflects this defendant’s callous disregard for life and reaffirms that prosecutors and law enforcement will hold violent criminals accountable for their actions.”
According to court documents, on January 29, 2022, Morgan killed Isaiah Jones by shooting him multiple times. Morgan believed that Jones, who was in a rival gang, shot his friend. A confrontation led to Morgan shooting at Jones and Jones returning fire. Morgan pleaded guilty to intentionally shooting and killing Jones with a 9mm handgun. Morgan sustained four gunshot wounds.
Morgan is a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau
of Prisons facility.The FBI and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alicia N. Hockenbury and Stacey P. Todd prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Tulsa Man Sentenced for Second Degree Murder in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
Today, U.S. District Judge John F. Heil, III, sentenced Daijon Marque Welch, 27, of Tulsa for Second Degree Murder in Indian Country. Welch was sentenced to 156 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
“This deadly act of violence at the hands of Daijon Welch changed the family of Cameron Wilson forever and seriously injured another man,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “My office will continue to pursue violent crime whether in Tulsa or in rural Oklahoma. There are no higher priorities than keeping our communities safe and fighting for victims of violent crime.”
According to court documents, Welch plead guilty to intentionally shooting Cameron Wilson several times. On April 22, 2020, Tulsa Police Department responded to a 911 call of a shooting at 8201 E. Skelly Drive. Witnesses reported that they heard several gun shots and witnessed Welch fleeing the area. One victim was shot in the face, forearm, and abdomen. The second victim, Cameron Wilson was pronounced deceased at the scene. Officers canvased the area, found Welch and the semi-automatic black pistol he attempted to hide.
Welch is a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin G. Bish prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Claremore Man Sentenced for Child Coercion and EnticementRead the Press Release
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Jacob William Fairchild, 34, of Claremore for Coercion and Enticement of a Minor in Indian Country. Judge Frizzell ordered Fairchild to 120 months imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release. Upon release, Fairchild will also be required to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, in March 2012, Fairchild persuaded a 13-year-old minor child to engage in a sexual relationship with him. At that time, Fairchild was 23 years old. Fairchild will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI and Rogers County Sherriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Brasher, Stacey Todd and Gina Gilmore prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Man Who Killed Victim with a Water Meter Key was Sentenced to LifeRead the Press Release
A Tulsa man was sentenced today for First Degree Murder in Indian Country after being convicted by a federal jury in Nov. 2022, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge John F. Heil, III, sentenced Kyle Edwin Freeman, 37, member of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, to life imprisonment.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Freeman had been staying with the victim, Donald Thomas in the days leading up to the murder. Freeman and his girlfriend were in a physical altercation. Witnesses said that Thomas was successful in breaking up the altercation and even exchanged a hug with Freeman, who appeared to be calm. Approximately 20 minutes later, Freeman entered the room with a water meter key and struck Thomas over the head several times killing him.
Freeman will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI, Tulsa Police Department, Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Police Department, and the Creek County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth Elmore and John E. Brasher prosecuted the case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects $3.89 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2023Read the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson announced today that the Northern District of Oklahoma (NDOK) collected $3,891,104.49 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2023. Of this amount, $2,516,899.27 was collected in criminal actions and $1,374,205.22 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the NDOK worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $14,977,950.60 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $1,266.60 was collected in criminal actions and $14,976,684.00 was collected in civil actions.
“The Financial Litigation Program/ The Asset Recovery Unit at the U.S. Attorney’s Office ensures that court ordered restitution is paid to victims, fines are collected, and civil financial obligations are met. In fiscal year 2023, this team of federal prosecutors, investigators, and professional legal staff diligently worked to collect almost $4 million on behalf of taxpayers and victims of crime,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
For example, in June 2023, the Asset Recovery Unit recovered over $225,000 in court ordered fines, restitution and a money judgment from Scott Wayne Jarman. Jarman plead guilty and was sentenced for two False Statements to the United States Small Business Administration for COVID fraud.
In July 2023, the Financial Litigation Program recovered $60,000 from Raymond Dudley. Dudley was sentenced for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under 12 in Indian Country and Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country. Dudley’s monetary penalties were court ordered and received for the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (JVTA) Assessment. The funds also go towards victim services including the Domestic Trafficking Victims Fund administered by the Attorney General.
In October 2023, the Financial Litigation Program recovered almost $60,000 in restitution to the Social Security Administration (SSA) upon the conviction of Kelly Dawson for Theft of Government Property. Dawson plead guilty in Jun. 2023 for collecting SSA funds on behalf of his children whom he placed in a group home.
In November 2023, the Asset Recovery Unit recovered $134,325.69 on behalf of the victim in Matthew William Cook’s embezzlement; as well as $134,325.69 in payment of a forfeiture money judgment. Cook plead guilty in Aug. 2022 for wire fraud after creating a scheme to defraud his employer.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in NDOK, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $407,741.00 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2023. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
Man Sentenced for Strangling Former PartnerRead the Press Release
A Bartlesville man was sentenced yesterday for Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Suffocating in Indian County, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Terence C. Kern sentenced Andrew John Brown, 50, to 27 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release. According to court documents, Brown began arguing with the victim. He admitted and plead guilty to placing the victim in a “chokehold” and strangled her with his hands.
Brown was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI and Osage Nation Tribal Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Bailey prosecuted the case.
Man Sentenced for Involuntary Manslaughter and Leaving the Scene of an AccidentRead the Press Release
A Sperry man was sentenced yesterday for Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country and Leaving the Scene of an Accident Resulting in Death, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Terence C. Kern sentenced Roger Allen Stevens, 32, a member of Cherokee Nation, to 30 months imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release.
According to the guilty plea, on October 28, 2018, Stevens failed to yield to the right of way to Timothy Hayhurst, while he was riding a motorcycle. This resulted in the death of Mr. Hayhurst. After the accident, Stevens did not contact 911 or stay at the scene of the accident.
Stevens was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric O. Johnston prosecuted the case.
Woman Sentenced for Gambling Away Pandemic and Economic Crisis LoanRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A woman was sentenced today to 18 months and for wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Terence, C. Kern, sentenced Carmen Leann Oliver, 34. Judge Kern further ordered Oliver to 5 years of supervised release and to pay $170,832 in restitution.
According to court documents, from August 2020 through July 2021, Oliver engaged in a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration by obtaining an Economic Injury Disaster Loan she was not entitled to. She lied on her application and received proceeds meant for the business applicant’s operating expenses. Oliver met the application requirements by claiming she had five employees and revenue prior to January 2020. Once the loan was approved and deposited into her account, Oliver misappropriated funds for personal use including gambling at various casinos.
Oliver was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Buscemi prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 150 defendants in more than 95 criminal cases and has seized over $75 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-takes-action-against-covid-19-fraud
National Human Trafficking Prevention Month: U.S. Attorney and HSI Announce Partnership in Tornado Alley Child Exploitation and Trafficking Task ForceRead the Press Release
As part of National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson is announcing partnership in the Tornado Alley Child Exploitation and Trafficking Task Force (TACETT) created by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
TACETT will be proactive on crimes against children relating to the internet including the distribution and production of child pornography, child enticement or exploitation, and human trafficking. The task force will also investigate other child-related cases, including, but not limited to, missing / abducted children, sexting and indecent exposure where children are victims. In addition, the task force will conduct outreach in communities in Oklahoma in an attempt to identify unreported crimes involving children, as well as conducting educational outreach at schools and various youth community organizations.
This partnership will multiply each agency’s resources, authorities, and jurisdictions to prevent, identify, investigate, and ultimately prosecute child exploitation and human trafficking related crimes. This will also enable HSI and its partners to share resources, best practices and intelligence assets thereby maximizing their ability to conduct effective investigations to combat human trafficking and ever-evolving crimes against children.
“This task force is designed to foster closer relationships between the Northern District of Oklahoma and federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement who are actively involved in any child exploitation and human trafficking related investigations,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Federal prosecutors and law enforcement will do everything within our power to protect victims of child exploitation and human trafficking.”
“Protecting our most marginalized and vulnerable is a major priority for HSI,” said Lester R. Hayes, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, HSI Dallas. “The creation of this task force will enhance our law enforcement capabilities immensely.”
The TACETT incorporates personnel from HSI Tulsa, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, Tulsa Police Department, Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office, Rogers County Sheriff’s Office, LeFlore County District Attorney’s Office, Muskogee Police Department, Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office, Pryor Creek Police Department, Skiatook Police Department, Broken Arrow Police Department, Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office, Collinsville Police Department, Owasso Police Department, Mayes County Sheriff’s Office, Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, Checotah Police Department, Sapulpa Police Department, Bristow Police Department, Glenpool Police Department, Tahlequah Police Department, Coweta Police Department, Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police Department, Osage County Sheriff’s Office, McCurtain County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
If you or someone you know is a victim of child exploitation or experienced human trafficking, confidential help is available. Resources and contact information for child exploitation is available through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Human trafficking resources and contact information is available through the National Human Trafficking Hotline Call: 1-888-373-7888; Text: HELP to 233733 (BEFREE); or Chat: humantraffickinghotline.org/chat.
Collinsville Man Convicted by Jury for Sexually Abusing Incapable VictimRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted Cody Paul Miller, 46, of Collinsville and a member of the Cherokee Nation, Friday for Sexual Abuse of an Incapable Victim in Indian Country.
“Cody Miller rationalized his actions knowing the victim was intoxicated. This is unacceptable and criminal,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This office and our law enforcement partners will bring to account those who commit acts of sexual violence.”
According to court documents, the 18-year-old victim was staying the night at Miller’s house with two of her friends, whom were both under 18 years of age. The victim brought alcohol to Miller’s home and began consuming it with Miller. Miller told the police that the victim was intoxicated, but he engaged in several sexual acts with her, none of which the victim remembered. Later, the victim woke up to Miller sexually assaulting her. She repeatedly asked the defendant to stop, and he did not. After leaving Miller’s home, the victim went to a friend’s home where she disclosed what Miller did. After receiving encouragement from her friend, the victim contacted police.
When the defendant was questioned by police, he told officers that the victim “got drunk really fast that night” and even “fell off the bed” because she was so drunk. Miller told law enforcement that the intimacy was mutual and that he stopped when the victim asked him to stop.
Miller will remain in custody until he is sentenced at a later date. He faces up to life imprisonment. The FBI and Collinsville Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Valeria G. Luster and Matthew P. Cyran prosecuted the case.
January 2024 Federal Grand Jury B Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the January 2024 Federal Grand Jury B Indictments.
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.
Miguel Acuna-Segura. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Acuna-Segura, 40, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in May 2011, at or near Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-020
Kenneth Alejandro Cruz-Bustillo. Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm. Cruz-Bustillo, 27, a Honduras national, is charged with knowing he was an illegal alien and unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition in Aug. 2023. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shakema M. Onias is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-019
Miguel Angel Del Rio-De La Torre. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Rio-De La Torre, 29, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Nov. 2018, at or near El Paso, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot P. Anderson is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-018
Roque Gaytan-Gonzalez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Gaytan-Gonzalez, 54, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Aug. 2023, at or near Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-013
Jesus Alberto Monges Sanchez; Cassidy Stone. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. Monges Sanchez, 32, a Mexican national, is charged with conspiring to distribute and possession of methamphetamine from Oct. 2023 through Jan. 2024. Monges Sanchez, and Stone, 29, of Tulsa, are both charged with maintaining a residence for the purpose of distributing methamphetamine from Oct. 2023 through Jan. 2024. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Nasar is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-024
Manuel Manrrique Oviedo-Ucles. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Oviedo-Ucles, 39, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Aug. 2014, at or near Houston, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot P. Anderson is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-014
Rolando Palacios-Castorena. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Palacios-Castorena, 36, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Jul. 2017, at or near Del Rio, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-015
Timothy Danel Ray Smeltzer. Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Suffocating in Indian Country;
Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country. Smeltzer, 35, of Nowata and member of Cherokee Nation Tribe,
is charged with assaulting a former dating partner by strangling in Dec. 2023. Smeltzer is further charged with assault that
resulted in serious bodily injury. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Weems is prosecuting
the case. 24-CR-016Megan Elizabeth Statum. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Statum, 32, of Tulsa, possessing methamphetamine and fentanyl with intent to distribute in Dec. 2023. She is further charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Sand Springs Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-017
Aaron Michael Thomas; Darren Doil Means. Introduction of a Misbranded Drug into Interstate Commerce (Counts 1 through 3); Drug Conspiracy (Count 4); Possession of Pregabalin with Intent to Distribute (Count 5); Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (Count 6); Smuggling Goods into the United States (Count 7) (superseding). Thomas, 41, and Means, 58, of Tulsa, are charged with the introduction of the misbranded drugs, gabapentin, xylazine and pregabalin into interstate commerce. The indictment charges that from 2021 through 2023, Thomas and Means conspired to distribute pregabalin, a Schedule V controlled substance, and maintained a residence for the purpose of distribution. Further the indictment alleges that in Oct. 2023, they knowingly possessed pregabalin with intent to distribute. They are both further charged with willfully importing pregabalin into the United States with false labeling in Aug. 2021. The Food & Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan E. Michel and Aaron M. Jolly are prosecuting
the case. 23-CR-333Bluejacket Man who Represented Himself at Trial was Found GuiltyRead the Press Release
A federal jury today convicted a Bluejacket man who voluntarily waived his right to counsel and represented himself at trial. Lance Douglas Roark, 43, of Bluejacket and a member of the Delaware Tribe of Indians, was convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor Under 12 Years of Age in Indian Country and Assault with Intent to Commit Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under 12 years of Age in Indian Country.
“Lance Roark manipulated a child in June of 2023 to fulfill his own criminal sexual desires,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “That child showed tremendous strength and courage in trial as she faced her predator. Lance Roark has now been held accountable for his criminal actions.”
According to court documents and testimony presented at trial, on June 9, 2023, Roark engaged in abusive sexual contact and intentionally assaulted a minor child who was eleven. When the child victim took the witness stand, prosecutors asked her questions about the sexual abuse and assault. The victim testified that Roark described biblical stories and how they could be “free in who they had sex with.” Roark asked her if she felt uncomfortable. Even after she told him that she was uncomfortable, Roark continued grooming the child. Roark showed her pornography and even convinced the child that if he abused her, they would win the lottery. He also asked the child not to tell anyone. As the child continued to describe the sexual contact and assault, Roark had a hard time making eye contact with the victim as she testified. While prosecutors presented drawings the child made describing Roark’s genitalia, he still would not make eye contact. When Roark cross-examined the child, he would not say “sexual abuse” or “sexual assault.”
On June 8, 2023, Roark approached a separate minor who is 17 years old. The witness described to prosecutors how Roark approached her after she saw him touching himself. She testified that Roark apologized for staring at her chest. Roark attempted to persuade her to have sex with him. She was able to decline his advances and separate herself from him.
Roark will remain in custody until he is sentenced at a later date. He faces up to life imprisonment. The FBI and Craig County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chantelle Dial and Alicia N. Hockenbury prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Man Sentenced for Distribution and Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A Commerce man was sentenced today for Distribution and Receipt of Child Pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Andrew Shane Hartman, 49, to 108 months imprisonment, followed by 12 years of supervised release. Upon release, Hartman will also be required to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, the FBI discovered Hartman distributing images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children in various chat rooms. After being arrested and appearing before the court, Hartman was released on supervised release. Hartman then violated conditions of his supervised release and was detained prior to sentencing. He will continue to remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Nassar and Joshua M. Carmel prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Man who Provided a Ride Share to Engage in Sexual Activity with a Minor is SentencedRead the Press Release
A Tulsa man was sentenced today coercion and enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Miles Alan Parsons, 39, a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, to 120 months imprisonment, followed by lifetime supervision by the U.S. Probation Office. Upon release, Parsons will also be required to register as a sex offender.According to court documents, in Sept. 2022, Parsons responded to a post on social media with a person whom he believed to be a 14-year-old female. Over several days, Parsons engaged in sexual conversation, sent nude videos and photos of himself, and requested the underage female to do the same. He then requested the underage female to come to his house. The underage female agreed to meet Parsons down the street from his home. Hoping to engage in sexual intercourse, Parsons admitted to ordering a ride share to pick up the underage female. When the ride shared arrived, Parsons was arrested.
Parsons will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The Homeland Security Investigations and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
January 2024 Federal Grand Jury A Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the January 2024 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.
Christian Douglas Cook. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Cook, 24, transient and a citizen of Choctaw Nation is charged with assault with intent to do bodily harm in Dec. 2023. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Dunn is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-005
Johnathan Robert Havlick. Second Degree Murder in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Havlick, 23, Sapulpa and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with discharging a firearm and killing Aaron Bendele in Dec. 2023. The FBI and Sapulpa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Valeria Luster and Kate Brandon are prosecuting the case. 24-CR-003
Nelson Alexis Torres Leon; Roberto Quiroz Lopez; Jose Isla-Chavez; Gerardo Martinez, Jr. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute (superseding). Leon, 23,
Lopez, 49, Isla-Chavez, 29, Mexican nationals, and Martinez, 23 from Oklahoma City, are each charged with drug conspiracy.
Leon is charged with possessing and distributing fentanyl and heroin. Lopez is charged with possessing and distributing heroin. Isla-Chavez is charged with possessing and distributing fentanyl. Leon, Isla-Chavez, and Lopez are also charged with
maintaining a residence for distributing fentanyl and/or heroin. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joel-lyn A. McCormick and Mandy M. Mackenzie
and are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-380Benita Lorenzo Nicolas. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Nicolas, 45, a Mexican national, is charged
with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Jun. 2017, at or near Del Rio, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-001Shelly Annette Mcelroy; Gary Don Mcelroy. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Tampering with a Record, Document, and Other Object. (superseding) Shelly McElroy, 52, and Gary McElroy, 54 of Tulsa are charged with drug conspiracy from Sep. 2023 through Oct. 2023. They are also charged with possessing methamphetamine and fentanyl with intent to distribute in Oct. 2023. Shelley McElroy was also charged with attempting to tamper with and erase the contents of a cellular phone seized as evidence in Oct. 2023. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam D. McConney and Niko Boulieris are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-348
Lance Douglas Roark. Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor Under 12 Years of Age in Indian Country; Assault with Intent to Commit Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor under 12 Years of Age in Indian Country (superseding). Roark, 43, of Bluejacket and a member of the Delaware Tribe is charged with knowingly engaging in sexual contact with the intent to commit aggravated sexual abuse with a child under 12 years old. The FBI and Rogers County Sherriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alicia Hockenbury and Chantelle Dial are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-262
Yair De Jesus Trejo-Mendoza. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Trejo-Mendoza, 35, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Dec. 2015, at or near Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-002
Arsonist Sentenced for Throwing Molotov Cocktail at Donut ShopRead the Press Release
An arsonist was sentenced yesterday for malicious use of explosive material, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Coby Dale Green, 25, of Tulsa to 60 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release. His sentence included a hate crime motivation enhancement.
According to court documents, Green was seen on security camera footage outside the Donut Hole donut shop in the early morning hours of Oct. 31, 2022. Green placed a flyer with anti-LGBTQ slogans on the business next door prior to using a baseball bat to break the glass door of the donut shop. He then lit an improvised incendiary device, commonly referred to as a “Molotov Cocktail,” and threw it into the restaurant. The incendiary device did not fully detonate but still caused fire damage to the business.
Investigators later searched Green’s residence and found several copies of newspaper articles about the donut shop being vandalized. The ATF Certified Fire Investigator stated that persons who commit arson will often keep mementos or “trophies.” During the search of the residence, investigators also found flyers similar to those left at the Donut Hole, as well as clothing and the lighter seen in the security footage.
Court documents state that Green had been previously arrested in Tulsa County for arson at a separate restaurant in 2021. That case was dismissed because the prosecuting witness failed to appear. Investigators also received additional reports of Green causing disturbances and leaving anti-LGBTQ flyers at other LGBTQ friendly businesses around the Tulsa area.
Green will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and Tulsa Fire Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan E. Michel and Christopher J. Nassar prosecuted the case.
This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Former Car Salesman Sentenced for Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
A former car salesman was sentenced today for money laundering and concealing illegal proceeds, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Stacy Germain Dotson, 48, of Tulsa to 27 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Judge Frizzell further ordered Dotson to pay $16,000 in restitution.
According to his plea agreement, Dotson and co-worker, William Ray Turner created a scheme to defraud a Chevrolet dealership. Turner would create phony sales with stolen identities. Once the phony sale was approved, Dotson would help Turner transport the vehicle off the lot to sale to a third party. Dotson or Turner would then receive payment for the stolen vehicle as well as commission.
Turner plead guilty to wire fraud and was sentenced to 27 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release. He was further ordered to pay $417,526.66 in restitution.
Dotson was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The U.S. Secret Service, IRS-Criminal Investigation, and Bartlesville Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Buscemi prosecuted the case.
Federal Grand Jury B Indictments Announced - December 2023Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the December 2023 Federal Grand Jury B.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury.
The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.Gerardo Arenas-Torres. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Arenas-Torres, 53, a Mexican national, is charged with
unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Nov. 2013, at or near Brownville, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Anderson is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-399Pablo Vasquez Compusano. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Compusano, 36, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Apr. 2019, at or near Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-400
Juan Arturo Diaz-Rodriguez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Diaz-Rodriguez, 25, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Jun. 2022, at or near Del Rio, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-401
Orlin Enriquez-Enriquez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Enriquez-Enriquez, 26, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Nov. 2017, at or near San Antonio, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Anderson is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-402
Emilio Miguel Gallardo; Dakota Samuel Johns. Malicious Damage to Federal Property; Possession of an Unregistered Destructive Device; Manufacturing an Unregistered Destructive Device. Gallardo, 20, and Johns, 22, both from Miami were charged with attempting to damage and destroy the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office with Molotov cocktails in Nov. 2023. They are further charged with possessing and manufacturing destructive devices not registered. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and FBI are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan E. Michel and Michael Flesher are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-403
Dave Luther Kendrick. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Kendrick, 35, of Pawnee is charged with knowingly failing to register as a sex offender from Aug. 2023 through the date of the Indictment. The United States Marshal Service is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-404
Thomas Lee Knox. Second Degree Murder in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Knox, 38, of Tulsa and a citizen of Choctaw Nation is charged with discharging a firearm and killing Paul Schultz in Nov. 2023. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Hockenbury is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-405
Audrell L. Lunsford. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Lunsford, 66, of Tulsa is charged with knowingly failing to register as a sex offender from Jan. 2021 through the date of the Indictment. The United States Marshal Service is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-406
Hong Thoa Thi Nguyen; Tait Hunter Jaco; Tam Duc Nguyen; Trinh Nguyen. Drug Conspiracy; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute. Hong Nguyen, 44, Jaco, 32, Tam Nguyen, 56, and Trinh Nguyen, 36, of Tulsa are charged with conspiring to distribute fentanyl in Nov. 2023. Hong Nguyen and Jaco were also charged for maintaining a residence for drug distribution. Jaco was further charged for possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Bailey is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-407
Serina Kaitlyn Vacin; Justin Michael Waymire. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. Vacin, 25 and Waymire, 27, of Tulsa are charged conspiring to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine while in possession of a firearm in Nov. 2023. They are further charged with maintaining a residence for drug distribution. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Bailey is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-408
U.S. Attorney Attends the Violent Crime Reduction SummitRead the Press Release
Tulsa, Okla. – U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson attended the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Violent Crime Reduction Summit: Partnerships for Safer Communities, in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Violent Crime Reduction Summit (Summit) brought together local leadership and federal partners from Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and National Public Safety Partnership (PSP) sites.
More than 1,100 attended the Summit to discuss violence reduction strategies, identify evidence-informed practices to increase public safety, enhance partnerships in the participating communities, and reduce violent crime. U.S. Attorney Johnson was accompanied by Assistant U.S. Attorney and NDOK PSN Coordinator John Brasher, Cherokee Nation Deputy Marshal Erik Fuson, Muscogee (Creek) Nation Tribal Deputy Chief Daniel Wind, Tulsa Police Department Majors Mark Wollmershauser Jr. and Richard Alexander and Tulsa Police Department Sergeant Jeremy Ballard.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced in the opening session the release of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime Reduction Roadmap. This is a one-stop shop to assist local jurisdictions in developing, implementing, and evaluating strategies to prevent, intervene in, and respond to violent crime. The Roadmap is part of a comprehensive Justice Department strategy to help connect jurisdictions with the information and resources they need to meet the complex and evolving challenges to help reduce violent crime.
In Dec. 2022, Tulsa hosted the National PSP Violent Crime Reduction Summit. More than 500 key stakeholders from PSP sites attended, as well as DOJ officials, experts, local and federal law enforcement. The Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco delivered the opening remarks. The attendees examined evidence-based practices to increase public safety while reducing violent crime. They further discussed how to enhance partnerships within the participating communities.
“The Northern District of Oklahoma is working hard to address violent crime at every level,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Tulsa hosted the National PSP Violent Crime Reduction last December. The Roadmap will strengthen then ongoing collaboration between local, federal and tribal partners ability to address violent crime. I’m pleased to know that the resources made available can support our local, federal, and tribal partners.”
Dozens of Justice Department resources available from the Roadmap are organized around actions outlined in Saving Lives: Ten Essential Actions Cities Can Take to Reduce Violence Now, developed by the Council on Criminal Justice, a nonpartisan think tank for the criminal justice field.
The Police Executive Research Forum, funded by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, will provide local jurisdictions with tailored training and technical assistance on how to implement the 10 essential actions and utilize the Justice Department’s resources identified in the Roadmap, to reduce violent crime while building community trust. Training and technical assistance offerings include specialized expertise to help organizations solve problems and build capacity, and they provide direct connections to subject matter experts as well as how-to materials.
Maximum Sentence for Crowbar AttackRead the Press Release
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Christopher Travon Brown, 32, a citizen of Muscogee (Creek) Nation from Tulsa to a statutory maximum term of 120 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Brown was sentenced on two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country.
According to court documents, in June 2022, Christopher Brown drove himself and another person to the victim’s house. After arriving at the residence, Brown entered the victims’ garage, grabbed a 24-inch, steel crowbar, broke down a locked bedroom door and beat the victim and victim’s girlfriend with the crowbar.
Brown assaulted the male victim with repeated blows to the body and head. At one point during the attack, Brown wielded the crowbar over his head and hit the top of the male victim’s skull and fractured it. Brown also assaulted the victim’s girlfriend with the crowbar and struck her repeatedly, causing blunt force trauma to her arm. The male victim sustained injuries to his head, including a fractured skull, a subdural hematoma, a subarachnoid bleed, a laceration to the scalp, and a laceration to the right hand. He was transported to a hospital where he was placed in intensive care. After the assault, Brown wiped the blood off of the crowbar and fled from the scene. He was later found and arrested. At first, Brown claimed self-defense, but once he was confronted with evidence, he admitted to police that he broke through the door, assaulted both victims with a crowbar, and fled the scene.
Today at sentencing, the United States argued that Brown was a threat to public safety. Further, that because of Brown’s extensive criminal history, including both drug and assault convictions, the seriousness of the instant offense, the need to provide just punishment, and to deter future criminal conduct by Brown, the statutory maximum sentence of 120 months imprisonment was appropriate. Brown will remain in federal custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI and Broken Arrow Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris prosecuted the case.
Man Sentenced for Possessing Firearm After Prior ConvictionsRead the Press Release
U.S. District Judge Terence C. Kern sentenced Jacob Nolan Jessup, 35, a citizen of Muscogee (Creek) Nation, to 71 months of imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release.
Jessup was indicted in October of 2022 and ultimately plead guilty to two separate counts for felon in possession of a firearm. Both counts included violations that occurred within four and a half months of each other. In March of 2022, Tulsa Police Department responded to a 911 call of a suspicious vehicle in a parking lot. When officers arrived to investigate, they found Jessup asleep in his vehicle. Officers woke Jessup who then opened the door and then closed it on officers. After being asked again to step out of the vehicle, Jessup got out of the vehicle. Jessup provided officers with an ID card and admitted that his driver’s license was suspended. A record check that revealed Jessup had outstanding felony warrants. Jessup was searched and an empty holster was found on his waist band. Officers then searched the vehicle and found a loaded handgun. The firearm was reported stolen out of Broken Arrow.
The second charged offense occurred in August of 2020. In that incident, Tulsa Police officers responded to a 911 call of an assault in process. Officers arrived to see Jessup walking away from the area. The 911 caller had observed Jessup throwing something into a nearby dumpster nearby. Officers found the discarded loaded firearm in the dumpster.
Jessup will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Dunn prosecuted the case.
This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Sapulpa Man Sentenced for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A Sapulpa man was sentenced today for production of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced John Warner Hamilton, Jr, 48, citizen of the Quapaw Tribe of Indians, to 180 months of imprisonment, followed by lifetime supervision by the U.S. Probation Office. Upon his release, Hamilton will also be required to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, Hamilton secretly recording an unclothed minor child on his cellphone. He further admitted to setting up a camera to record from another room and the videos were saved to his device for later viewing.
Hamilton will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI and Sapulpa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals, federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Federal Grand Jury A Indictments Announced - December 2023Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the December 2023 Federal Grand Jury A.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury.
The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.Elgin Zip Adkins. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Adkins, 23, of Tulsa is charged with possessing firearm
and ammunition after he had previously been convicted of a felony in Tulsa County District Court. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Nasar is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-389Keenan Duke Lamont Brown, II; Isaac Emiliano Littleman-Ortega; Royal Dale Juan Brown. Robbery in Indian Country (count 1); Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (counts 2 and 7); Carjacking (count 3); Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (count 4); Kidnapping in Indian Country (count 5); Obstructing, Delaying, and Affecting Commerce by Robbery (count 6) (superseding). K. Brown, 19, a member of Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Littleman-Ortega, 18, a member of Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, and R. Brown, 20, each from Tulsa, are charged with using a firearm to commit robbery in Sept. 2023. They are further charged with brandishing and discharging a firearm during a carjacking and kidnapping. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua M. Carmel and Nathan E. Michel are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-339
Kyle Thomas Brown; Audryanna Gibbens; Julia Lydia Savage; Dustin Louis Palmer. Drug Conspiracy (superseding). Brown, 28, of Santa Maria, CA, Gibbens, 43, of Oceano, CA, Savage, 33 of Atascadero, CA, and Palmer, 39 of Arroyo Grande, CA, are charged with possessing and distributing methamphetamine from Aug. 2021 through Oct. 2021. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Brasher is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-309
Kacey J. Hamilton. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Hamilton, 32, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly failing to register as a sex offender from Sep. 2021 through the date of the Indictment. The United States Marshal Service is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-390
Jorge Hernandez Rubalcaba. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien; Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Rubalcaba, 39, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Jun. 2023, at or near Laredo, Texas. He is also charged with failing to register as a sex offender from Jun. 2022 through the date of the Indictment. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations, United States Marshal Service and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot P. Anderson is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-393
Kevin David Kost. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of Fentanyl and Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drag Trafficking Crime. Kost, 34, of Tulsa is charged with possessing firearm and ammunition after he had previously been convicted of felonies in Tulsa County District Court. He is further charged with trafficking, possession and intent to distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Cherokee Nation Marshal Service are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy M. Mackenzie is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-384
Jarrod Demar Mansker. Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country; Domestic Assault by an Habitual Offender in Indian Country (superseding). Mansker, 51, a member of Muscogee (Creek) Nation, is charged with strangling an intimate dating partner in Sep. 2023. He is further charged with habitual domestic assault after being convicted in Muscogee (Creek) Nation District Court as well as Tulsa County District Court. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory Richard is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-342
Edward Leon Pulley. Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition; Possession of a Stolen Firearm. Pulley, 34, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing firearms and ammunition after he had previously been convicted of felonies throughout Oklahoma. He is further charged with possessing a stolen firearm in Aug. 2023. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Tulsa Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-391
Edgar Geovanny Rodriguez-Aranda. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Rodriguez-Aranda, 39, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Jul 2018, at or near Brownsville, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-392
Rudy Tyler Rudd. Kidnapping in Indian Country. Rudd, 39, of Adair and a member of the Osage Nation, is charged with knowingly and unlawfully kidnapping two victims in Aug. 2023. The FBI and Mayes County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory Richard is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-394
Nineteen-Year-Old Sentenced for Armed CarjackingRead the Press Release
A 19-year-old Tulsa man was sentenced to prison yesterday for carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Terence C. Kern sentenced Isaiah Blaine Ousley, 19, of Tulsa to 84 months of imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Court documents show that on July 13, 2022, Ousley committed an armed carjacking in broad daylight. He approached a woman who just exited her vehicle after lunch. Ousley pointed his firearm at the woman and demanded her keys. She complied with his demands, and he drove away in the vehicle. Ousley was spotted driving the vehicle, pulled over and arrested several hours later. He had a loaded firearm in his possession.
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan E. Michel prosecuted the case.
Man Sentenced for Sexually Abusing a ChildRead the Press Release
A Tulsa man was sentenced today to 13 years in prison for sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Gregory L. Frizzell sentenced Ronald Paul Phillippe, 59, of Tulsa to 156 months imprisonment, followed by lifetime supervised release.
According to court documents, from Sept. 2018 through Oct. 2021, Phillippe knowingly sexually abused a child under 12 years old. Phillippe is an enrolled member of Cherokee Nation. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie N. Ihler prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Tulsan Sentenced for Second Degree MurderRead the Press Release
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Dillon Charles Wilson, 27, citizen of Muscogee (Creek) Nation, to 262 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release for second degree murder.
“Dillon Wilson made a fatal decision that took the life of another man,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Jamitric Landrum’s family and loved ones are forever altered by this decision. My condolences go out to Mr. Landrum’s loved ones.”
According to court documents, on January 19, 2022, Jamitric Landrum and his girlfriend were at home when someone attempted to force the door open. They opened the door and saw a dark figure going around the corner. They left the apartment and got into their vehicle to look for the suspect. Jamitric was driving and pulled into a parking lot. He got into a brief verbal interaction with Dillon Charles Wilson. Jamitric’s girlfriend saw that Wilson was armed and told Jamitric to drive away. As they drove away, Wilson deliberately and intentionally began shooting at the vehicle striking Jamitric in the back. Law enforcement responded to the shooting. Jamitric was transported to the hospital where he later died from the gunshot wound.
Wilson has a prior criminal conviction for conduct related to robbery with a firearm as well as eluding a police officer. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Brasher prosecuted the case.
This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s DOJ Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Former Bixby Gun Store Owner Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell, sentenced Jeffery David Sutton, 55, to 157 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. In Oct. 2022, Sutton was convicted by a federal jury for carrying, using, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and assault with dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country. Judge Frizzell further ordered Sutton to pay $5,000 in restitution.
In Dec. 2021, Sutton got into an argument with his girlfriend, whom he told to move out of his house. The girlfriend moved her things out the next day and was waiting for a ride to pick her up. Sutton changed his mind, returned home and the parties argued in the front yard. Sutton then went to his truck, pulled a handgun and started shooting at his girlfriend.
He fired at least eight times toward her. Multiple bullets hit the doorway she was standing in, and one hit her in the chest. While Sutton was shooting at her, he stated he was going to kill her, as well as her family.
Tulsa County Sheriff’s Department was the first to respond to the scene and found Sutton in the front lawn, with an empty firearm and he was taken into custody. Law enforcement personnel applied pressure to the victim’s wound. She was transported to the hospital, treated, and later released from the hospital.
Court records show that Sutton was the owner of a Bixby gun store and trained in handling firearms. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office and Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven J. Briden and Kristin F. Harrington prosecuted the case.
Jenks Woman Sentenced and Ordered to Repay More than $1.2 Million in RestitutionRead the Press Release
U.S. District Judge Terence C. Kern sentenced Lauren Michelle Owen, 40, of Jenks, to 27 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. In January, Owen pleaded guilty to bank fraud, wire fraud, and tax evasion. Judge Kern further ordered Owen to pay more than $1.2 million in restitution.
“Lauren Owen engaged in multiple fraudulent schemes, including taking advantage of her employer’s kindness solely to enrich her luxurious lifestyle at the expense of others,” stated U.S. Attorney Clinton Johnson. “This sentencing and restitution will show criminals that fraudulent schemes will not go unpunished.”
“Miss Owen thought stealing from the government would be a victimless crime, but the money set aside for COVID relief was designed to help small businesses stay open through the pandemic,” said Christopher J. Altemus Jr., special agent in charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation’s Dallas Field Office. “Miss Owen’s actions kept money out of the hands of others who would have used it to pay employees and keep their businesses open, as it was intended. Instead, she used it and other illegal financial activities to elevate her lifestyle. CI and our partners have ensured she has been held accountable for her actions.”
According to court documents, in 2010, Lauren Owen was hired by her employer as a secretary. She gained the trust of her employer and was eventually promoted to vice president and sole financial officer. Owen’s duties included handling the financial books and records for the company, paying bills and preparing checks for legitimate business expenses, overseeing payroll, hiring and firing personnel. She would make unauthorized checks to herself, payments on her personal credit cards, and unauthorized wage payments to herself from her employer’s accounts. These fraudulent transactions totaled more than $750,000 loss to her employer.
After losing her job, in November of 2021, Owen devised a plan to defraud the Small Business Association (SBA) after Congress passed the CARES Act in response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and economic crisis. She falsified an application for a loan, on behalf of Platinum Assets, LLC, a company she owned and controlled. She lied on the application stating that she’d never been criminally charged, when in fact she had previously been arraigned in state court for embezzlement. She falsely signed and certified the application that the information she provided was true and correct, to the best of her knowledge. After approving the loan, the SBA deposited more than $384,000 in Owen’s bank account whereafter Owen improperly misapplied the loan proceeds by purchasing a 2018 Chevrolet Corvette, a 40-foot yacht and paying off a loan on a 2018 Ford F-250.
From 2016 through 2020, Owen further attempted to evade substantial income tax from her misconduct. She failed to report her extra, illegal income she was received from her embezzlement. Owen admitted that she tried to hide her income by making unauthorized transactions. She knew reporting her income correctly would leave her owing more than $61,000 in unpaid taxes and agreed to pay the IRS an additional $67,800 in other unpaid taxes.
Owen was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility at a later date.
The Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Secret Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David D. Whipple prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit justice.gov/coronavirus and justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form
Federal Grand Jury B Indictments Announced - November 2023Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the November 2023 Federal Grand Jury B.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Brandon Lee Cooper. Kidnapping in Indian Country; Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Suffocating in Indian Country; Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to an Intimate/Dating Partner in Indian Country. Cooper, 27, of Tulsa, a Muscogee (Creek) Nation member, is charged with kidnapping, assaulting, and causing bodily harm to a dating partner on Oct. 28, 2023. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Brandon is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-379
Melik Deshawn Davis. Robbery in Indian Country (Counts 1, 2); Assault with Intent to Commit a Felony in Indian Country (Counts 3, 4); Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Counts 5, 6). Davis, 24, of Tulsa, a Muscogee (Creek) Nation member, is charged with robbing and assaulting his victims on Sep. 18, 2023. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Dunn and Stephen N. Scaife are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-376
Damon Michael Dozier. Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force and Threat in Indian Country; Kidnapping of a Minor in Indian Country. Dozier, 40, transient, a Muscogee (Creek) Nation member, is charged with sexually assaulting a minor child under 16 years old and holding the victim against their will on Jun. 12, 2023. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen N. Scaife is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-375
Jose Juan-Lopez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien; Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm; Use of Immigration Identification Document Not Legally Issued; False Statement on Official Document; Use of False Social Security Number; Aggravated Identity Theft. Juan-Lopez, 40, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed, illegally possessing a firearm, and possessing identification cards not belonging to him. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot P. Anderson is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-374
Christopher Lee Juanito Noear. Assault of a Spouse/Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling in Indian Country; Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Noear, 35, of Tulsa, a Muscogee (Creek) Nation member, is charged with is charged with strangling a dating partner, and being in possession of a firearm after a felony conviction. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Flynn is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-372
Wyatt Douglas Miller; Kevin Ramses Rocha; Tyler Dewayne Rogers; Jonah Maxwell Fesman; Antonio Ernesto Munoz; Juan Manuel Camacho-Zarate; Cameron David Martin; Ilyess Hadri Talbi; Steven Lin; Gilbert Immanuel; Jared Chan Zi Jie; Jordan Goh Zhi Hao; Darren Khoo Zhi En; Bryan Goh Chun Hee; Cai Jin Cheng; Tan Kian Wei; Daniel Holland; Prit Patel. Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud (superseding). Miller, 24, San Marcos, CA; Rocha, 24, Littlerock, CA; Rogers, 24, Goleta, CA; Fesman, 23, Altadena, CA; Munoz, 24, Palmdale, CA; Camacho-Zarate, 25, Santa Maria, CA; Martin, 23, Winter Garden, FL; Talbi, 20, Columbus, OH; Lin, 27, Philadelphia, PA; Immanuel, 25, Lutz, FL; Zi Jie, 25, Republic of Singapore; Zhi Hao, 23, Republic of Singapore; Zhi En, 23, Republic of Singapore; Chun Hee, 25, Republic of Singapore; Cheng, 24, Republic of Singapore; Wei, 24, Republic of Singapore; Hong Wei, 25, Republic of Singapore; Holland, 24, United Kingdom; Patel, 24, Canada, are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud as a part of an international conspiracy to defraud online retailers through a variety of schemes collectively known as “refund fraud”. The cyber squads of the FBI’s Oklahoma City and Birmingham Field Offices, as well as agents from the FBI Seattle Field Office are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Nassar, Matthew P. Cyran, and Ashley Robert are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-331
Luis Armando Mendez-Matias. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Mendez-Matias, 39, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Jan. 2, 2020, at or near Brownsville, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-373
Juan Carlos Moreno-Lopez; Samuel Ulises Ortega; Jose Ortiz-Tapia; Jorge Luis Cruz-Diaz; Jesus Roberto Lujano-Urquiza; Joseph Anthony Raniewicz; Brittany Welch. Continuing Criminal Enterprise (Count 1); Drug Conspiracy (Count 2); Distribution of Methamphetamine (Counts 3 – 6); Distribution of Fentanyl (Count 7); Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (Counts 8 – 9); Use of a Communication Facility in Committing, Causing and Facilitating the Commission of a Drug Trafficking Felony (Counts 10 – 14) (superseding). Moreno-Lopez, 25; Ortega, 53; Ortiz-Tapia, 34; Cruz-Diaz, 29; Lujano-Urquiza, 33; Raniewicz, 42, Tulsa; Welch, 33, Claremore, are charged with drug conspiracy, and distribution of meth and fentanyl, beginning in January of 2021 through November of 2023. The Drug Enforcement Administration is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-136
Juan Ramon Pulido Romero. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Romero, 35, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Jan. 4, 2014, at or near Del Rio, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney David D. Whipple is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-370
Juan Ramos-Duran. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Ramos-Duran, 32, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Jan. 18, 2016, at or near Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot P. Anderson is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-371
Daniel Ray Sanders. Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Sanders, 40, transient, a Cherokee Nation member, is charged with strangling and causing bodily harm to an intimate partner and on a separate occasion assaulting the same intimate partner with a dangerous weapon, both in Indian Country.
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele W. Hulgaard is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-381Ricardo Sandoval-Chavez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Ricardo Sandoval-Chavez, 32, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Apr. 22, 2017, at or near Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-368
Christian Sanchez-Flores. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Sanchez-Flores, 26, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Feb. 1, 2019, at or near Nogales, Arizona. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-369
Jacob Shoate. Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling in Indian Country; First Degree Burglary in Indian Country; Witness Tampering. Shoate, 22, of Tulsa, a Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma member, is charged with strangling, breaking into a residence and preventing the victim from calling 911. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Weems is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-382
Nelson Alexis Torres Leon; Roberto Quiroz Lopez; Jose Isla-Chavez. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute. Leon, 23, of The Village, Lopez, 49, of Tulsa, are charged with possessing and distributing fentanyl and heroin. Lopez is also charged with maintaining a residence for distributing fentanyl and heroin. Isla-Chavez, 29 of Tulsa, is charged with possessing and distributing fentanyl and maintain a residence for distribution of fentanyl. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-380
Victor Vallejo-Rivera. Kidnapping in Indian Country; Witness Tampering; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding in Indian Country (Misdemeanor). Vallejo-Rivera, 33 of Tulsa, is charged with kidnapping, preventing the victim from contacting 911, and assaulting with intent to do harm. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Weems is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-367
Tulsa Native Sentenced and Ordered to Repay $800,000 for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
A Tulsa native, now residing in Texas, was sentenced today for bank fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Shane Michael Hannaford, 41, of Prosper, Texas, to 33 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Judge Frizzell further ordered Hannaford to pay more than $800,000 in total restitution to eleven victims.
According to court documents, Hannaford was indicted for ten separate counts of bank fraud covering various fraudulent conduct. On Apr. 15, 2022, Hannaford plead guilty to one count of bank fraud and agreed to pay restitution for the entirety of his criminal conduct. As to the one count conviction, Hannaford admitted that he owned and controlled Hannaford Development Group (HDG). Operating under HDG, Hannaford entered into a verbal and written agreement with a lending company to finance construction costs for a church located in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Hannaford admitted to fraudulently representing to the lender that he intended to repay the monies borrowed, which was false.
Hannaford was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David D. Whipple prosecuted the case.
Tulsa Couple Indicted for Drug Conspiracy Involving Poppy Seeds Coated in Opium LatexRead the Press Release
A Tulsa couple were indicted for an opium poppy seed drug conspiracy resulting in the death of Utah woman.
Brandon David McCarthy, 37, and spouse, Rachel Christine McCarthy, 34, of Tulsa, are charged with Drug Conspiracy; Distribution of Morphine, Codeine, and Thebaine; Distribution of Morphine, Codeine, and Thebaine Resulting in Death; Possession of Morphine, Codeine, and Thebaine with Intent to Distribute; Distribution of Material; Possession of Materials with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug Involved Premises; Money Laundering Conspiracy; Engaging in Monetary Transactions of Proceeds Derived from a Specified Unlawful Activity.
According to the multi count criminal indictment, Brandon David McCarthy and Rachel Christine McCarthy (“McCarthys”) are
owners of Lone Goose Bakery, an online retailer of unprocessed poppy seeds coated in opium latex. Opium latex is a
byproduct of the opium poppy plant that contains opiate alkaloids, including morphine, codeine, and thebaine, scheduled II controlled substances.From June 2017 through November of 2020, the McCarthys illegally sold unprocessed poppy seeds coated in opium latex to opiate users. Lone Goose Bakery purchased bulk quantities of unprocessed poppy seeds coated in opium latex and repackaged the seeds for resale across the United States. It is alleged that the McCarthys produced books and videos about poppy seed tea made with unprocessed poppy seeds coated in opium latex. These materials were marketed on the internet and social media. The tea was promoted to help reduce pain, reduce anxiety, improve sleep, and lower blood pressure. Additionally, the tea was advertised as an anti-diarrheal with beneficial vitamins and minerals. The indictment alleges that a single dose of poppy seed tea made with Lone Goose Bakery unprocessed poppy seeds coated in opium latex could expose a consumer up to approximately 1,200 milligrams of morphine.
The majority of buyers of Lone Goose Bakery’s unprocessed poppy seeds coated in opium latex were individuals purchasing the product for personal consumption. It is alleged that Lone Goose Bakery’s poppy seeds were not processed to an edible food grade standard. In Dec. of 2018, a Utah woman consumed tea made from Lone Goose Bakery’s unprocessed poppy seeds coated in opium latex, overdosed, and died.
From November 2017 through November 2020, the McCarthys received over $12 million in payments from the sale of unprocessed poppy seeds coated in opium latex. Court records show that the proceeds were later spent on real estate,
property improvements, art, vehicles, and precious metals, including gold and silver coins.If convicted, Brandon and Rachel McCarthy face up to life in prison.
The Drug Enforcement Administration is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Reagan V. Reininger is
prosecuting the case.An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Ten Members of International Cyber Fraud Ring Indicted for “Refund Fraud” Scheme Targeting Online RetailersRead the Press Release
An indictment in the Northern District of Oklahoma was unsealed today, charging ten men for conspiracy to commit wire fraud as a part of an international conspiracy to defraud online retailers through a variety of schemes collectively known as “refund fraud”.
From April 2019, through the date of the Indictment on October 19, 2023, the self-styled Artemis Refund Group (“ARG”) engaged in numerous refund fraud schemes to steal goods from online retailers for themselves and others. ARG advertised their refund fraud services heavily on online messaging forums, which resulted in hundreds of customers of the fraud placing thousands of refund fraud orders. Some of these fraudulently refunded orders were shipped to the Northern District of Oklahoma, giving rise to venue in this district.
As part of the refund fraud conspiracy, ARG would instruct fraud customers to purchase a product of their choice at one of the many retailers they targeted, collect information about the order, and then contact the retailer to initiate a fraudulent refund transaction using a variety of methods tailored to the particular retailer. After ARG was successful in deceiving the retailer into processing a fraudulent refund, the fraud customers would maintain possession of the item, but would be refunded the entire purchase price. ARG charged customers of the fraud between 15-20% of the total price of the refunded item. Members of ARG also engaged in the scheme to obtain stolen goods for themselves and resell them on online marketplaces for profit.
These refund fraud schemes resulted in millions of dollars in losses to online retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, Target, Wayfair, Dell Technologies, Dicks’ Sporting Goods, HP, and Adidas, among others.
Wyatt Douglas Miller, 24, San Marcos, CA; Kevin Ramses Rocha, 24, Littlerock, CA; Tyler Dewayne Rogers, 24, Goleta, CA; Jonah Maxwell Fesman, 23, Altadena, CA; Antonio Ernesto Munoz, 24, Palmdale, CA; Juan Manuel Camacho-Zarate, 25, Santa Maria, CA; Cameron David Martin, 23, Winter Garden, FL; Ilyess Hadri Talbi, 20, Columbus, OH; Steven Lin, 27, Philadelphia, PA; Gilbert Immanuel, 25, Lutz, FL participated in the scheme, along with unindicted coconspirators in Singapore, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
“The indictment of the members of the Artemis Refund Group shows that cybercriminals cannot hide behind the anonymity of the internet,” said U.S. Attorney Clinton J. Johnson. “Thanks to efforts of the FBI and the prosecutors of my office, the ARG conspirators will now face justice in the Northern District of Oklahoma. We will continue to work with victim companies and our partners here and abroad to ensure cybercriminals cannot misuse the internet for illicit gain.”
“The individuals named in today’s indictment all had an alleged role in an international conspiracy to cheat the online retail system and profit at the expense of American businesses,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “These charges illustrate the FBI’s dedication and ongoing efforts with our partners across the globe to combat fraud in its many forms.”
If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence or fines after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The cyber squads of the FBI’s Oklahoma City and Birmingham Field Offices, as well as agents from the FBI Seattle Field Office are investigating the case. This case is part of the FBI’s Operation Chargeback, an ongoing investigation into ARG and other refund fraud groups across the US and internationally. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Nassar, Matthew P. Cyran, and Ashley Robert are prosecuting the case.
Substantial assistance and cooperation was provided by Target, Amazon’s Customer Protection and Enforcement Team, Walmart, Wayfair, Dell Technologies, Dick’s Sporting Goods, HP, Adidas, Google’s CyberCrime Investigation Group, and eBay’s Criminal & Regulatory Investigations Team.
For more resources on cybercrime, visit www.ic3.gov.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Northern District of Oklahoma IndictmentFederal Grand Jury A Indictments Announced - November 2023Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the November 2023 Federal Grand Jury A.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Pablo Escobar-us. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Pablo Escobar-us, 30, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Feb. 18, 2014, at or near Brownsville, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-363
Edgar Garcia-Rodriguez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Edgar Garcia-Rodriguez, 22, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Jan. 23, 2022, at or near Brownsville, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-362
Lerontez Sherod Hill; Bobbe Gene Taylor; Tashonna Leigh Anderson; Walter Jay Johnson; Kemareay Keishion Green; Jeremiah Hamlin. Kidnapping; Obstructing, Delaying, and Affecting Commerce by Robbery; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; (superseding). Hill, 38, of Tulsa; Taylor, 25, of Tulsa; Anderson, 36, of Bixby; Johnson, 25, of Tulsa; Green, 25, of Atoka; and Hamlin, 39 of Tulsa are with is charged with kidnapping and robbery on August 17, 2021. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Elmore is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-318
Jonathan Eliezer Miranda Juarez. Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity; Coercion and Enticement of a Minor. Jonathan Eliezer Miranda Juarez, 29, of Commerce, is charged with knowingly transported a minor with intent to engage in sexual activity on Aug. 18, 2023. He also charge with coercion and enticement of a minor from Aug. of 2020 through Aug. 18, 2023. The Indiana Delphi Police Department, the Commerce Police Department, Oklahoma State Highway Patrol, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Robert and Stephanie Ihler are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-347
Efrain Lira-Anaya. Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Efrain Lira-Anaya, 47, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition on July 27, 2023. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy M. Mackenzie is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-361
Dakota Shane May. Second Degree Burglary in Indian Country. Dakota Shane May, 28, of Tulsa, a Muscogee Creek Nation member, broke into a residence with intent to steal on Aug. 9, 2023. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie N. Ihler is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-360
Shelly Annette McElroy; Gary Don McElroy. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Tampering with a Record, Document, and Other Object. Shelly Annette McElroy, 51, and Gary Don McElroy, 54, of Tulsa, conspired and possessed methamphetamine and fentanyl with intent to distribute on Oct. 8, 2023. Shelley McElroy was also charged with attempting on Oct. 9 and Oct. 12, 2023, to tamper with and erase the contents of a cellular phone seized as evidence on Oct. 8, 2023. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam D. McConney and Niko Boulieris are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-348
Jason Ryan Mitchell. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of an Unregistered Weapon Made from a Shotgun. Jason Ryan Mitchell, 41, of Owasso, knowingly he had previously been convicted of felonies, possessed a short-barreled shotgun not registered to him on Sep. 5, 2023. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Dowdell is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-349
Charles William Pebeahsy, III. Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country; 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. Charles William Pebeahsy, 51, of Quapaw, assaulted his victims with intent to commit murder on May 31, 2023. Pebeahasy is a tribal member of the Quapaw Nation. the Quapaw Nation Marshal Service is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Harris is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-357
Luis Angel Perez-Serrano. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Luis Angel Perez-Serrano, 25, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Dec. 19, 2019, at or near San Ysidro, California. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-355
Luis Miguel Rodriguez Perez. Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute. Luis Miguel Rodriguez Perez, 30, a Mexican national and United States lawful permanent resident, is charged with knowingly possessing cocaine with intent to distribute on Oct. 18, 2023. The Drug Enforcement Administration is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam D. McConney and Niko Boulieris are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-358
Ronald Dale Sanders. Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct; Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country; Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country; Tampering with Evidence by Corrupt Persuasion. Ronald Dale Sanders, 55, of Belton, Missouri, from Aug. 2023 to Oct. 15, 2023, traveled to engage in a sexual act with an Indian child under the age of 16. Sanders is additionally charged for attempting to destroy or conceal evidence from Oct. 15, 2023, to Oct. 18, 2023. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Hockenbury is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-354
Juan Villalobos-Jimenez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Juan Villalobos-Jimenez, 29, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Jul. 10, 2015, at or near Del Rio, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney David D. Whipple is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-353
Brandon David McCarthy; Rachel Christine McCarthy. Drug Conspiracy; Distribution of Morphine, Codeine, and Thebaine; Distribution of Morphine, Codeine, and Thebaine Resulting in Death; Possession of Morphine, Codeine, and Thebaine with Intent to Distribute; Distribution of Material; Possession of Materials with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug Involved Premises; Money Laundering Conspiracy; Engaging in Monetary Transactions of Proceeds Derived from a Specified Unlawful Activity. Brandon David McCarthy, 37 and Rachel Christine McCarthy, 34, of Tulsa are charged with several counts related to a drug conspiracy involving poppy seeds coated in opium latex and resulted in the death of a Utah woman. The Drug Enforcement Administration is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Reagan V. Reininger is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-359