Eastern District of Oklahoma

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Scott William Lanham, age 45, of Seminole, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to Accessory After the Fact to Murder in Indian Country.

According to the Indictment, on April 2, 2019, Lanham knowingly assisted Coker Dean Barker in hindering and preventing Barker’s apprehension, trial, and punishment for murder.  On April 10, 2023, Barker was convicted by a federal jury at trial for that murder.  Lanham’s crime occurred in Seminole County, within the boundaries of the Seminole Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The charges arose from investigations by the Seminole Police Department, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Texas Rangers, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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

Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States.

A federal jury returned a guilty verdict yesterday finding that former Savanna Oklahoma Police Officer (SPD), Jeffrey Scott Smith, 35, sexually assaulted a woman during a traffic stop and obstructed justice by turning off his body-worn camera and dash camera in an effort to avoid recording the assault. This case represents the first sexual assault conviction under the 2022 Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act that added enhanced penalties for civil rights offenses involving sexual misconduct.

“Today the Department of Justice sends an unequivocal warning: we will hold accountable those who abuse their authority by engaging in sexual assault,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “That’s exactly why we advocated so strongly for reauthorization of VAWA two years ago. This may be the first time we have used the new enhanced penalties for civil rights violations involving sexual assault but it will not be the last. We will work tirelessly to seek Justice for survivors of sexual assault.”

“This case is historic because this is the first defendant to be found guilty and subject to the enhanced penalties in the 2022 Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Sexual assaults perpetrated by police officers are heinous crimes and a disgraceful breach of the public trust in law enforcement. We acknowledge the victim’s courage in coming forward and immediately reporting this abuse, and for her strength as she testified in trial. The Justice Department will hold law enforcement officers accountable when they abuse their authority by engaging in sexual misconduct, and we will seek justice for all victims of these crimes.”

“Law enforcement officers are sworn to protect and serve,” said U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Wilson for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “When an officer uses his position of authority to victimize another, justice demands accountability.”

“It’s impossible to comprehend why the defendant felt entitled to treat an innocent woman this way,” said Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. “Instead of ensuring a safe environment for the victim, Smith abused his authority for his own sick gratification. When an officer violates the rights of any citizen, they put the public’s trust in law enforcement at risk. The FBI will not stand for this egregious behavior.”

Evidence presented at trial established that on Nov. 2, 2022, Smith, working his first solo shift for SPD, conducted a traffic stop of the victim, K.H., and her then-boyfriend, J.G. After running their licenses, Smith realized that J.G.’s license had recently expired. He had J.G. and K.H. get out of J.G.’s car to switch who was driving. Smith issued J.G. a speeding ticket, and then began asking personal questions, including how long they had been in their relationship. At this point, while still speaking to J.G. and K.H., Smith manually deactivated his SPD body worn camera (BWC).

Smith then asked K.H. what she did for work. K.H. reluctantly admitted that she danced at a gentlemen’s club. Upon hearing K.H.’s answer, Smith asked to search J.G.’s car. During the search, Smith looked in K.H.’s purse and found a pre-rolled promotional marijuana cigarette from K.H.’s work. Rather than arrest her, or issue her a ticket, Smith walked back to his patrol car and manually deactivated his dashboard camera. Once the defendant had K.H. in his vehicle he sexually assaulted her.

Smith faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison on the civil rights count. He also faces 20 years in prison on each of the obstruction of justice counts, one count for deactivating his body-worn camera, and one count for deactivating his dashboard camera. Smith was detained pending sentencing and a sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Oklahoma City FBI Field Office investigated the case with the assistance of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

Trial Attorney Laura Gilson of the Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Clay Compton and Nicole Paladino for the Eastern District of Oklahoma are prosecuting the case.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A federal jury returned a guilty verdict yesterday finding that former Savanna Oklahoma Police Officer (SPD), Jeffrey Scott Smith, 35, sexually assaulted a woman during a traffic stop and obstructed justice by turning off his body-worn camera and dash camera in an effort to avoid recording the assault. This case represents the first sexual assault conviction under the 2022 Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act that added enhanced penalties for civil rights offenses involving sexual misconduct.

“Today the Department of Justice sends an unequivocal warning: we will hold accountable those who abuse their authority by engaging in sexual assault,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco.  “That’s exactly why we advocated so strongly for reauthorization of VAWA two years ago.  This may be the first time we have used the new enhanced penalties for civil rights violations involving sexual assault but it will not be the last. We will work tirelessly to seek Justice for survivors of sexual assault.”

“This case is historic because this is the first defendant to be found guilty and subject to the enhanced penalties in the 2022 Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.  “Sexual assaults perpetrated by police officers are heinous crimes and a disgraceful breach of the public trust in law enforcement.  We acknowledge the victim’s courage in coming forward and immediately reporting this abuse, and for her strength as she testified in trial.  The Justice Department will hold law enforcement officers accountable when they abuse their authority by engaging in sexual misconduct, and we will seek justice for all victims of these crimes.”

“Law enforcement officers are sworn to protect and serve,” said U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Wilson for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “When an officer uses his position of authority to victimize another, justice demands accountability.”

“It’s impossible to comprehend why the defendant felt entitled to treat an innocent woman this way,” said Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office.  “Instead of ensuring a safe environment for the victim, Smith abused his authority for his own sick gratification. When an officer violates the rights of any citizen, they put the public’s trust in law enforcement at risk.  The FBI will not stand for this egregious behavior.”

Evidence presented at trial established that on Nov. 2, 2022, Smith, working his first solo shift for SPD, conducted a traffic stop of the victim, K.H., and her then-boyfriend, J.G.  After running their licenses, Smith realized that J.G.’s license had recently expired.  He had J.G. and K.H. get out of J.G.’s car to switch who was driving. Smith issued J.G. a speeding ticket, and then began asking personal questions, including how long they had been in their relationship.  At this point, while still speaking to J.G. and K.H., Smith manually deactivated his SPD body worn camera (BWC).

Smith then asked K.H. what she did for work.  K.H. reluctantly admitted that she danced at a gentlemen’s club.  Upon hearing K.H.’s answer, Smith asked to search J.G.’s car.  During the search, Smith looked in K.H.’s purse and found a pre-rolled promotional marijuana cigarette from K.H.’s work.  Rather than arrest her, or issue her a ticket, Smith walked back to his patrol car and manually deactivated his dashboard camera.  Once the defendant had K.H. in his vehicle he sexually assaulted her.

Smith faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison on the civil rights count.  He also faces 20 years in prison on each of the obstruction of justice counts, one count for deactivating his body-worn camera, and one count for deactivating his dashboard camera.  Smith was detained pending sentencing and a sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Oklahoma City FBI Field Office investigated the case with the assistance of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

Trial Attorney Laura Gilson of the Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Clay Compton and Nicole Paladino for the Eastern District of Oklahoma are prosecuting the case.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jason Cory Bycroft, age 41, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, was sentenced for the production and possession of child sexual exploitation materials. Jason Bycroft was sentenced to 292 months in prison for two counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Child/Use of a Child to Produce a Visual Depiction and 240 months for two counts of Possession of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.  The sentences on each count were ordered to run concurrently.

The charges arose from investigations by the Broken Arrow Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On April 19, 2022, Jason Bycroft pleaded guilty to the offenses.  According to investigators, in July 2015 and in September 2017, Bycroft created videos of the exposed genitalia of children under the age of ten at a public swimming area.  One of the depictions was created with the assistance of Heather Bycroft, the defendant’s wife and co-defendant.  Heather Bycroft was found guilty by a federal jury on April 26, 2022, of Sexual Exploitation of a Child/Use of a Child to Produce a Visual Depiction and Possession of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, and is awaiting a formal sentencing hearing.

“The sentencing handed down today effectively ends Mr. Bycroft’s ability to exploit and endanger children for many years to come,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray.  “The FBI’s commitment to combatting this threat will never waver, and we will continue working with our partners in law enforcement to send the message that crimes against children will not be tolerated.”

“The heinousness of this crime cannot be overstated.  The defendant engaged in brazen predatory behavior,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson.  “This office stands committed to prosecuting those who engage in child sexual exploitation and betray the public trust.”

The Honorable Timothy D. DeGiusti, U.S. Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearings in Oklahoma City.  Bycroft was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorney Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Shawn Erin Hudson, age 44, of Antlers, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served and three years of supervised release for child neglect.

The charges arose from investigations by the Pushmataha County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On October 14, 2022, Hudson pleaded guilty to one count of an Information of Child Neglect.  According to investigators, between December of 2017 and February of 2019, Hudson willfully and maliciously failed and omitted to provide adequate medical care, supervision, appropriate caretakers, and special care made necessary by the physical and mental condition of a child under the age of eighteen.

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

The Honorable Keith Starrett, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearings in Muskogee.

Assistant United States Attorney Edith Singer represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Buster Leo Garrett, age 57, of McAlester, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for an assault on an intimate partner which resulted in substantial bodily injury.

The charges arose from investigations by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On February 17, 2023, Garrett pleaded guilty to one count of Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to an Intimate Partner in Indian Country.  According to investigators, on June 25, 2021, Garrett assaulted an intimate and dating partner while boating on Lake Eufaula.  The attack resulted in substantial bodily injury to the victim.  The crime occurred in McIntosh County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Keith Starrett, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, sitting by appointment, presided over the hearings in Muskogee.  Garrett was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorney Edith Singer represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Heather Robertson, age 48, of Wagoner, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served of three days, plus six months of home detention with electronic monitoring, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for one count of child neglect.

The charges arose from investigations the Okmulgee County Sherriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On November 22, 2022, Robertson pleaded guilty to one count of Child Neglect in Indian Country.  According to investigators, on or about September 8, 2021, Robertson willfully and maliciously failed to protect a child under the age of 18 from exposure to the use and possession of methamphetamine while responsible for the child’s health, safety, and welfare.  The crime occurred in Okmulgee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Keith Starrett, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee.

Assistant United States Attorney Edith Singer represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jeffery Glenn Bocephus Robinson, age 33, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 38 months in prison for possessing a firearm after being convicted previously of a felony offense.

The charges arose from investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.

On June 13, 2023, Robinson pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm.  According to investigators, on or about November 28, 2022, Robinson possessed a .22 rifle after having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and despite knowing of such conviction.

The Honorable Keith Starrett, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearings in Muskogee.  Robinson will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorney Edith Singer represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Nick Allen Mabray, age 37, and Gene Mabray, age 68, both of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, were sentenced for their roles in a January 2021 assault on a bank agent.

Nick Allen Mabray was sentenced to 84 months in prison for one count of Use of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, to be served consecutive to an additional 46 months each for one count of Conspiracy to Commit Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country, and one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country, to be served concurrently.  Nick Allen Mabray was found guilty of these charges by a federal jury on August 15, 2023.

Gene Mabray was sentenced to 27 months for one count of Conspiracy to Commit Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country.  Gene Mabray entered his guilty plea to the one count on July 5, 2023.

The charges arose from investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department.

According to investigators, on January 6, 2021, the Mabrays assaulted a RCB Bank agent at a foreclosed property in Park Hill, Oklahoma.  At the conclusion of a court-ordered inspection of the property, Nick Mabray rammed the agent’s truck with his own vehicle, disabling it.  As the agent dialed 911 for help, the Mabrays forced the agent from the rammed truck at gunpoint, Gene Mabray relieved the agent of the cellphone and a firearm, and Nick Mabray beat the agent with a firearm, threatening to kill him.  The crimes occurred in Cherokee County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation of Oklahoma, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings.  The defendants were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve their non-paroleable sentences of incarceration.

Special Assistant United States Attorney Robert F. Moody represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jemarcus Maquel Williams, age 32, and Anfernee Deshon Sherrod, age 30, both of Memphis, Tennessee, were each sentenced to 60 months in prison for conspiring to violate federal firearms offenses, including unlawful possession of a silencer and unlawful possession of non-serialized firearm.

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

On June 1, 2023, Williams, Sherrod, and Andria Victoria Dowdy each entered guilty pleas to one count of Conspiracy to violate federal firearms offenses.   According to investigators, the trio conspired to obtain firearms in the State of Oklahoma.  On December 29, 2021, Sequoyah County Sheriff’s deputies initiated a traffic stop of Williams and Sherrod on I-40 in Sequoyah County.  Law enforcement ultimately discovered Williams and Sherrod in possession of six firearms with large capacity magazines and an unserialized silencer.  At the time of the possession, Sherrod had been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year.

Sentencing for co-Conspirator Dowdy is currently set for March 12, 2024.

The Honorable Keith Starrett, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearings in Muskogee.  Williams and Sherrod were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve their non-paroleable sentences of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorney Edith Singer represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Raithiele Robinson, age 50, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 150 months in prison for one count of Attempted Robbery.

The charges arose from investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Okmulgee County Sherriff’s Office, and the Okmulgee Police Department.

On December 15, 2022, Robinson pleaded guilty to one count of Attempted Robbery.  According to investigators, on December 2, 2016, Robinson attempted to rob the victim of valuables by force as the victim sat in a vehicle at the intersection of Kern and Kiowa in Okmulgee.

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Axton Cole Chancellor, age 25, of Coweta, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 192 months in prison each for one count of Child Abuse in Indian Country and one count of Child Neglect in Indian Country. The sentences on each count were ordered to run concurrently.

On July 5, 2022, Chancellor pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, over a three day span in October of 2018, Chancellor willfully and maliciously harmed an infant entrusted to his care, then failed to seek medical treatment for the infant after inflicting severe injuries.  The crime occurred in Wagoner County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

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

The Honorable Charles B. Goodwin, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Oklahoma City. Chancellor was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorneys Caila M. Cleary and Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Coker Dean Barker, age 37, of Seminole, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for Escape from Custody.

The charge arose from investigations by the United States Marshals Service and the Okmulgee County Criminal Justice Authority, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Okmulgee County Sheriff’s Office, the Tulsa Police Department, the Rogers County Sheriff’s Office, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

On November 7, 2022, Barker pleaded guilty to the charge.  In November 2021, Barker and another inmate, Dustin Marris, escaped from federal custody at a detention center in Okmulgee.  Both escapees were apprehended the next day as a result of a successful multi-agency manhunt.  Marris was sentenced in February 2023 for his involvement in the escape.

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

Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States at sentencing.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Paula Amber Chisholm, age 38, of McAlester, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 48 months in prison for Child Abuse in Indian Country.

The charges arose from investigations by the McAlester Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On January 12, 2023, Chisholm was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of Child Abuse in Indian Country.  According to investigators, on December 3, 2019, a five-year-old child was rushed to the hospital after school officials became concerned about the child’s physical state and demeanor. During a medical evaluation it was revealed the child had multiple wounds, abrasions, and bruises and was extremely malnourished. Chisholm was the primary caregiver at the time the abuse occurred.  The crime occurred in Pittsburg County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

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

Assistant United States Attorney Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Bryan Todd Richardson II, age 25, of Wyoming, Ohio, was sentenced to 120 months in prison each for two counts of Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Activity and 120 months in prison for one count of Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Activity.  The terms of imprisonment on all counts shall be served concurrently.  Richardson will also be required to register as a Sex Offender.

The charges arose from investigations by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Okmulgee Police Department.

On September 27, 2022, Richardson pleaded guilty to a superseding Indictment of two counts of Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Activity and one count of Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Activity.  According to investigators, Richardson, a Marine stationed in North Carolina, cultivated an online relationship with a fourteen-year-old child in the state of Oklahoma for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct. Richardson traveled to Oklahoma in May of 2020, and again in June of 2021, both times engaging in illegal sexual activity with the minor. After the June incident, Richardson transported the minor across state lines and later returned the victim to Oklahoma.

The Honorable Keith Starrett, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearings in Muskogee.  Richardson was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorney Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.

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

We encourage anyone who suspects or has information regarding child sexual exploitation, trafficking of minors, sextortion, child pornography, or any other means of child exploitation to immediately contact law enforcement. You can file a report on the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)'s website at www.cybertipline.com, call 1-800-843-5678, contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or call 877-4-HSI TIP.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Michael Shaun Davis, age 56, of Eufaula, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.

The Indictment alleged that on June 15, 2023, Davis, having been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year, and knowing of that conviction, possessed firearms and ammunition which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.

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

The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.  Davis was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin Gross and Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Sidney Dewayne Woods, age 31, of Colbert, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 210 months in prison for one count of Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country.

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

On May 10, 2023, Woods pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, Woods confessed to sexually abusing a minor who was in his care at the time of the abuse.  The crime occurred in Bryan County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Keith Starrett, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee.  Woods was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorney Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Ricky Gene McGee Jr., age 37, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

The Indictment alleged that on October 12, 2022, McGee, having been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year, and knowing of that conviction, possessed a 9mm semi-automatic pistol and ammunition which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.

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

The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. McGee was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that David Glen Berryhill, Jr., age 51, of Poteau, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 168 months in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

On July 6, 2023, Berryhill pleaded guilty to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.  According to investigators, on January 25, 2023, an OHP trooper conducting a traffic stop on Highway 69 near Checotah, Oklahoma, discovered Berryhill in possession of almost three kilograms of methamphetamine.

The Honorable Keith Starrett, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearings in Muskogee.  Berryhill was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Brittany Nicole Mekler, age 31, of McAlester, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 87 months in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.

The charges arose from investigations by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, and the McAlester Police Department.

On July 18, 2023, Mekler pleaded guilty to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.  According to investigators, on August 27, 2022, Mekler was found in possession of 163.18 grams of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and $3,774 cash.

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings.  Mekler was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jacob Aaron Ward, age 43, of Locust Grove, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 36 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.

The charges arose from investigations by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

On May 11, 2023, Ward pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.  According to court documents, a Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office deputy found Ward in possession of a loaded .38 Special revolver during a traffic stop in August of 2022.  The deputy located the revolver in Ward’s back pocket while conducting a pat-down.  Ward knew when he possessed the firearm that he had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year.

The Honorable Keith Starrett, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee.  Ward was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Geizura represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kent Matthew Stapp, age 34, of Wetumka, Oklahoma, was sentenced was sentenced to 60 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm.

The charges arose from investigations by the Okmulgee County Sheriff’s Office, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

On March 13, 2023, a federal jury found Stapp guilty at trial of one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. According to court documents, on February 11, 2022, Okmulgee County Sheriff’s deputies discovered Stapp in possession of a 9mm semi-automatic pistol after Stapp attempted to flee during a traffic stop.  At trial, Stapp testified that he attempted to flee in order to prevent the discovery of the firearm on his person. The jury found that Stapp knew he had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year while he was in possession of the firearm.

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.  Stapp was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Geizura and Jarrod Leaman represented the United States at sentencing.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Sean Paul Baker, age 31, of Henryetta, Oklahoma, was sentenced to thirty-five years imprisonment, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, after being found guilty by a federal jury of two counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country and one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country.

During the trial, the United States presented evidence that beginning in February of 2015 and continuing until December of 2021, Sean Paul Baker engaged in sexual acts with a minor victim, who had not reached 10 years of age.  The crimes occurred in Okmulgee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The guilty verdicts were the result of an investigation by the Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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

Assistant United States Attorneys Caila M. Cleary and Nicole Paladino represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Andrew Jake Craig, age 35, of Gore, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 60 months of probation for possessing a firearm after a domestic violence conviction.

The charges arose from investigations by the Muskogee Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

On March 10, 2023, Craig pleaded guilty to one count of Possession of a Firearm After Conviction of a Misdemeanor Crime of Domestic Violence.  According to court documents, on June 7, 2022, Muskogee police officers responded to a report of a disturbance at an area residence.  During the investigation, officers discovered Craig in possession of a loaded .22 semi-automatic handgun.  In 2018, Craig pleaded guilty and was sentenced by an Oklahoma district court on one count of misdemeanor domestic violence.

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

Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin D. Traster represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Tyler Aaron Meigs, age 32, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 63 months in prison for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and 63 months in prison for Felon in Possession of a Firearm, with the terms of imprisonment to run consecutively.

The charges arose from investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.

On June 6, 2023, Meigs pleaded guilty to possessing a quantity of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it to others in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, and to possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony punishable by more than one year in prison.  According to court documents, on October 4, 2022, Cherokee County Sheriff deputies arrived at the scene of a single car accident. Meigs, the sole occupant of the vehicle, was found in possession of a handgun and approximately 41 grams of methamphetamine.

The Honorable Keith Starrett, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearings in Muskogee.  Meigs was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Bondura represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Cairl Glenn Hayes, Jr., age 48, of Hulbert, Oklahoma, was sentenced to a total of 18 months in prison on two separate cases for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The charges arose from investigations by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

On October 5, 2022, Hayes pleaded guilty to a single count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and remained on bond pending sentencing.  According to investigators, on April 26, 2022, law enforcement officers conducting a traffic stop in Cherokee County, Oklahoma, discovered Hayes in possession of a firearm.  Hayes was sentenced to 18 months in prison for this offense.

On August 9, 2023, Hayes was indicted for a second incident of being a felon in possession of a firearm.  Hayes entered a guilty plea to one count of felon in possession of a firearm on September 11, 2023.  According to investigators, on July 10, 2023, law enforcement officers conducting a traffic stop in Cherokee County again discovered Hayes in possession of a firearm. Hayes was sentenced to 12 months in prison for the second offense.

At the time of both traffic stops, Hayes knew he had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year.

The Court ordered the sentences in each case to run concurrently.

The Honorable Keith Starrett, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for Southern District of Mississippi, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearings in Muskogee.  Hayes was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jaylon Christopher Heneha, age 26, of Henryetta, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for a federal firearms offense.

The charges arose from investigations by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On May 2, 2023, Heneha pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.  According to investigators, on January 22, 2023, officers with the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police discovered Heneha in possession of a firearm during the course of another investigation.  At the time he possessed the gun, Heneha knew he had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year.

The Honorable Keith Starrett, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearings in Muskogee.  Heneha was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorney Richard A. Lorenz represented the United States at sentencing.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announces that Christopher Andrew Loveall, age 30, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 27 months imprisonment for illegally possessing a firearm.

The charge arose from investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tahlequah Police Department.

On May 15, 2023, Loveall pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm.  According to investigators, on January 16, 2023, officers observed Loveall fire a gun from the front passenger seat of a vehicle before the vehicle drove away at a high rate of speed.  Officers pulled the vehicle over and found a firearm magazine on the floorboard.  During a search of the nearby roadside along the vehicle's path, officers found a 380 semi-automatic handgun.  Loveall knew when he possessed the firearm that he had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year.

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Tristan Hunter Finch, age 27, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Indictment charging him with one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian country.

The Indictment alleged that on September 5, 2023, Finch assaulted the victim with a knife.  The crime occurred within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Muskogee Police Department.

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

Assistant United States Attorney Michael E. Robinson represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announces that Elbert Andrew Fuller, Jr., age 25, of Roland, Oklahoma, was sentenced to a total of 308 months imprisonment for assaulting two police officers and a female victim with a gun and knife, while putting a minor child in harm’s way during the assault.

Fuller was sentenced to 188 months imprisonment for one count of Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country, one count of Child Abuse in Indian Country, and one count of Child Neglect in Indian Country.  He was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment on three counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country.  These six counts were ordered to run concurrent with each other.  The defendant also was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment on one count of Use, Carry, Brandish, or Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence which was ordered to run consecutive to his other counts for a total sentence of 308 months imprisonment.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Roland Police Department, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, and the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office.

On June 22, 2023, Fuller entered a plea of guilty to all counts.  According to investigators, on October 8, 2022, law enforcement responding to a 911 call encountered Fuller leaving a Roland residence carrying an infant. Fuller fired a pistol multiple times at the officers.  Fuller dropped the pistol, pulled a large knife, and attempted to stab one of the officers. During the altercation, a family member was able to take the child from Fuller.  Fuller was eventually subdued and taken into custody. The crimes occurred in Sequoyah County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

“The defendant’s violent acts endangered multiple people, including a child, and the sentence imposed is certainly fitting punishment,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson.

The Honorable Keith Starrett, Senior District Judge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, sitting by assignment, presided over the sentencing hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Fuller was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Christopher Joe Knight, age 42, of Spiro, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

The Indictment alleged that on December 26, 2022, Knight, having been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year, and knowing of that conviction, possessed a 9mm semi-automatic pistol which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Sequoyah County Sherriff’s Office.

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Geovanta Ty’Kearon Lee, age 23, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, was sentenced to a total of 255 months in prison for one count of Cyberstalking, one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, one count of Discharging of a Firearm during and in relation to a Crime of Violence, one count of Receipt of Material involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, and one count of Possession of Material involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.

The charges arose from investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police Department, and the City of Ardmore Police Department.

On March 1, 2023, a federal jury found Lee guilty at trial on all counts.  According to investigators, on February 21, 2022, Lee assaulted the victim with a firearm, fired a round into the victim’s vehicle, then fled the scene. In the weeks after the assault, Lee used social media and phone calls to intimidate the victim. Phones recovered from Lee's home during the course of the investigation showed that Lee received and possessed a video depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor. The crimes occurred in Carter County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings in Muskogee.  Lee was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Flanigan represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Randolph Boyd Strawn, age 68, of Checotah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 180 months in prison for Murder in Indian Country – Second Degree.

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

On May 1, 2023, Randolph Boyd Strawn pleaded guilty to one count of Murder in Indian Country – Second Degree.  According to court documents, Strawn maliciously killed the victim on December 6, 2022, pouring gasoline around the victim and igniting it.

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

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Daniel Lewis Moon, age 26, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 72 months in prison for one count of Arson.

The charges arose from investigations by the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma State Fire Marshal’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

On November 9, 2022, a federal jury found Moon guilty at trial of Arson.  According to investigators, on March 28, 2020, Moon, an employee at the Dollar General in Porter, Oklahoma, turned in his two-week resignation notice then purposefully lit a fire in a store aisle during business hours.  Employees successfully evacuated shoppers and staff, but the fire caused significant damage before firefighters were able to extinguish it.

The Honorable Charles B. Goodwin, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Oklahoma City.  Moon will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorney Patrick M. Flanigan represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announces that Kalup Allen Born, age 25, of Ada, Oklahoma, was sentenced to a total of 608 months imprisonment related to three separate cases.

For crimes related to a murder committed in January 2017, Born was sentenced to 450 months imprisonment for Murder in Indian Country – Second Degree, Kidnapping in Indian Country, Arson in Indian Country, and First Degree Burglary in Indian Country.  The sentences will run concurrently to each other, and consecutive to his other sentences.

For crimes related to a prison attack in December 2020, Born was sentenced to 121 months imprisonment for one count of Voluntary Manslaughter in Indian Country.  The sentence will run consecutive to his other sentences.

For crimes related to a prison attack in April 2023, Born was sentenced to 37 months of imprisonment for one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, and one count of Possession of Contraband in Prison.  The sentence will run consecutive to his other sentences.

The charges arose from investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Oklahoma State Fire Marshal, the Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Office, and the Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office.

On December 5, 2022, Born pleaded guilty to one count of Murder in Indian Country—Second Degree, one count of Kidnapping in Indian Country, one count of First Degree Burglary in Indian Country, and one count of Arson in Indian Country for his January 2017 crimes.

According to investigators, on January 15, 2017, Born broke into an Ada residence, threatened and assaulted the occupant with a knife, stole the victim’s vehicle, then kidnapped and forced the victim into the car.  As he drove south, Born backed the vehicle over the side of a bridge, sending it over the edge and down into the creek bed below.  The victim suffered severe blunt force trauma, including a ruptured organ and a pelvic injury, and ultimately died from the injuries sustained in the incident.

Born then made his way to a second home nearby, which he burglarized, stealing a blanket, a knife, a wallet, and electronics.

From there, Born proceeded to yet a third residence, where he broke in and set the home ablaze with the occupants still inside.  A bystander was able to rescue the occupants from the fire and Born was captured nearby.

In December 2020, while being held on charges for these crimes, Born killed a fellow inmate in the Pontotoc County Justice Center in a brutal and sustained attack.  On June 7, 2022, a federal jury convicted Born at trial for one count of voluntary manslaughter.

On April 24, 2023, Born stabbed a Muskogee County Jail inmate repeatedly with a homemade knife and attempted to throw the inmate over a railing.  On January 3, 2024, Born entered a guilty plea to one count of assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, and one count of Possessing Contraband in Prison.

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

“The crimes committed by Born are gut-wrenching and there is no question the sentencing is just,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray.  “The FBI is responsible for investigating the most serious crimes in Indian Country and along with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to aggressively pursue these cases. The FBI is committed to protecting all of the tribal communities we serve, helping victims, and ensuring that justice is met for violent offenders. Born decided to continue his life of crime even while in prison. He clearly did not learn his lesson and continued to terrorize the lives of others. The FBI is grateful to the law enforcement agencies that contributed to this investigation and led to Born’s conviction.”

“The enormity of these heinous acts cannot be overstated,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson.  “Born has proven to be a threat to society both inside and outside the walls of the prison system.  This sentence ensures he will spend a substantial portion of his life, if not all, behind those walls where his actions are as limited as possible.”

The Honorable John F. Heil, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the sentencing hearings.  Born will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve his non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan Conway and T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jerry Lee Matlock, Jr., age 41, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information charging him with one count of Second Degree Murder in Indian Country and one count of Use, Carry, Brandish and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.

Court documents allege that on the evening of September 14, 2021, Matlock intentionally shot an individual with a rifle outside a Stilwell residence before fleeing the scene of the crime.  Adair County deputies responding to the shooting discovered the victim dead from a gunshot wound to the chest.  The crimes occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Adair County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.  Matlock was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Keaton Dwayne Tripp, age 21, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 41 months imprisonment for unlawfully possessing a machine gun.

The charges arose from investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Muskogee Police Department.

On May 11, 2023, Tripp entered a guilty plea in federal district court to one count of Possession of a Machine Gun.  According to investigators, on March 23, 2023, law enforcement responding to a reported home invasion apprehended Tripp and found him in possession of a pistol illegally modified for fully automatic firing.

“Converting firearms to fully automatic is an alarming trend which poses a tremendous threat to our communities,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Identifying and prosecuting persons unlawfully converting and/or knowingly possessing these illegal, extremely dangerous weapons is a focus of the Department of Justice.”

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

Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Satter represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Ricky Dale Degase, age 30, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and Andrea Dawn Winsett, age 34, of Park Hill, Oklahoma, entered guilty pleas to charges of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.  Degase also entered a plea of guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.

The Indictment against Degase alleged that on March 7, 2023, Degase knowingly and intentionally possessed with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of actual methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, along with a loaded firearm prohibited to him as a convicted felon.  At the plea hearing, Degase admitted that after a traffic stop on March 7, 2023, he was found to be in possession of 22.36 grams of actual methamphetamine which he intended to distribute, along with a loaded 9mm pistol.  At the time of the offenses, Degase knew he had been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year.

The Information against Winsett alleged that on March 7, 2023, Winsett knowingly and intentionally possessed with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.  At the plea hearing, Winsett admitted that on March 7, 2023, after being arrested for driving under the influence, she was found in possession of 14.75 grams of actual methamphetamine which she intended to distribute.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.

The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the pleas and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.  Degase and Winsett will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announces that David Henry Vick, Jr., age 38, of Ada, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information charging him with Obstruction of the Due Administration of Justice.

The Information alleged that in June and July of 2023, Vick twice corruptly influenced, obstructed, and impeded the due administration of justice by causing and inducing an individual from appearing before two empaneled federal grand juries in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.  At the plea hearing, Vick admitted that when he learned that the potential witness had been subpoenaed to testify before empaneled grand juries in June and July of 2023, he directed the individual to not appear or testify.  Due to Vick’s inducements, the witness failed to appear to testify.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Ada Police Department.

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Michael John Jones, age 40, of Talihina, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.

The Indictment alleged that on January 24, 2023, Jones knowingly and intentionally possessed 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, which he intended for distribution.

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

The Honorable D. Edward Snow, Magistrate Judge in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.  Jones was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorneys Michael E. Robinson and Erin Cornell represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Rian Reid Miller, age 22, of Wewoka, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of using, carrying, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during a federal crime of violence.

The Indictment alleged that on April 29, 2023, Miller knowingly used, carried, brandished, and discharged a firearm during an assault on the victim.  The crime occurred in Seminole County, within the boundaries of the Seminole Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Seminole Nation Lighthorse Police, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.  Miller was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Bondura represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Alexander Christian Davis, age 37, of Glenpool, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 141 months imprisonment for one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country.  Davis is also subject to a ten year term of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender.

The charges arose from investigations by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On May 11, 2023, Davis entered a plea of guilty to one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country.  According to investigators, Davis engaged in sexual acts with a child under the age of 16 and at least four years younger than him between December 2019 and December 2020.  The crime occurred in Okmulgee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

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

Assistant United States Attorneys Caila M. Cleary and Sarah McAmis represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announces that Zakary Keegan Reynolds, age 39, of Stonewall, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 66 months imprisonment on three separate counts of Bank Robbery, with each count running concurrently.

The charges arose from investigations by the Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Office, the Ardmore Police Department, the Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Dallas Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On September 6, 2022, Reynolds pleaded guilty to three separate counts of Bank Robbery.  According to investigators, Reynolds robbed three separate banks of over $30,000 in a crime spree spanning three months and two states.  On September 28, 2021, Reynolds robbed a Wells Fargo Bank in Dallas, Texas.  Six weeks later, on November 12, 2021, Reynolds robbed an American Nation Bank in Ardmore, Oklahoma.  Two weeks later, on November 24, 2021, Reynolds robbed a Capital One Bank in Dallas, Texas. Reynolds was apprehended December 6, 2021, in Pontotoc County, after a standoff with law enforcement officers.

The Honorable Timothy D. DeGiusti, Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting by assignment, presided over the sentencing hearings in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.  Reynolds will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Devin Warren Sizemore, age 29, of Krebs, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 180 months for one count of Voluntary Manslaughter in Indian Country, and 180 months imprisonment for one count of Child Abuse in Indian Country.  The sentences will be served concurrently.

The charges arose from investigations by the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Krebs Police Department, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On April 7, 2023, a federal jury found Sizemore guilty of one count of Voluntary Manslaughter in Indian Country, and one count of Child Abuse in Indian Country.  According to investigators, on July 14, 2016, law enforcement officers located Sizemore in a pond next to an unresponsive child.  The child, who died from drowning, had sustained multiple injuries, and was later pronounced dead at an area hospital.  The crimes occurred in Pittsburg County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Amanda Lynn Howerton, age 40, of McAlester, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor/Use of a Child to Produce a Visual Depiction.

The Indictment alleged that on January 22, 2023, Howerton created a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct for the purposes of transmitting that image over the internet.

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

The Honorable Judge Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.  Howerton was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jaylon Parker Jackson Gore, age 23, of Ada, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country.

The Indictment alleged that Gore sexually assaulted a minor victim between January and June of 2019. The crime occurred in Pontotoc County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

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

The Honorable D. Edward Snow, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Gore was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending the sentencing hearing.

Special Assistant United States Attorney Jenna Rudoff (Dallas, TX) and Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Paladino represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Aaron Richard Eubanks, age 33, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to forty-five years imprisonment, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, on five counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country.

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

On August 5, 2022, a federal jury found Eubanks guilty of the charges.  During the trial, the United States presented evidence that during 2020 and 2021, Eubanks engaged in sexual acts with a minor victim who had not reached 10 years of age.  The United States also presented evidence that in February 2021, Eubanks engaged in sexual acts with a second minor victim who had not reached the age of 11 at the time of the abuse.  The crimes occurred in Adair and Cherokee Counties, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Charles B. Goodwin, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Oklahoma City.  Eubanks will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorney Caila M. Cleary represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Tyler Jay Mullins, age 45, of Ada, Oklahoma, was sentenced to concurrent life sentences in prison for one count of Murder in Indian Country—First Degree, and one count of Causing the Death of a Person in the Course of a Violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c).

The charges arose from investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of the State of Oklahoma, and the Ada Police Department.

On June 30, 2022, Mullins was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of Murder in Indian Country—First Degree, and one count of using a firearm to commit that murder.  Evidence presented at trial established that in the early morning hours of April 20, 2002, Mullins attacked and beat the victim, transported the victim to another location, then shot the victim three times and buried the body.  Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agents found the victim’s blood in Mullins’ trunk and on his shoe, leading to Mullins’ eventual confession and disclosure of the location of the victim’s body.

The crimes occurred in Pontotoc and Seminole Counties, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation and the Seminole Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.  Mullins originally entered a guilty plea to a state district court charge of First Degree Murder in Pontotoc County District Court in December 2002.  That conviction was vacated in March 2021 based on the United States Supreme Court decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma, handed down in July 2020.

“Although the pursuit of justice for the victim’s family was interrupted by a change in jurisdiction, the cooperative work of state and federal law enforcement allowed the United States Attorney’s Office to successfully prosecute the case after more than twenty years,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “The sentences imposed in federal prison now ensure the defendant will spend the rest of his life answering for his heinous crimes.”

The Honorable Charles B. Goodwin, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearings in Oklahoma City.  Mullins will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve his non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announces that Bronson Kent Dalton Gore, age 34, and Richard Dakota Gore, age 29, both of Ada, Oklahoma, were sentenced to 72 months and 77 months imprisonment, respectively, for committing Robbery in Indian country.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Ada Police Department, and the Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Office.

In November 2021, Bronson Gore and Richard Gore each pleaded guilty to one count of Robbery in Indian Country.  According to investigators, on January 2, 2021, the Gores accosted the victim in the Love’s parking lot in Ada, Oklahoma, restraining the victim and threatening him with a firearm in order to rob the victim of his wallet and cash.  The crime occurred in Pontotoc County, Oklahoma, within the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable Judge Charles B. Goodwin, U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting by assignment, presided over the sentencing hearings in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.  The defendants will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals pending transportation to designated United States Bureau of Prisons facilities where they will serve their non-paroleable sentences of incarceration.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Mitchell Dale Thompson, age 26, of Westville, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 41 months in prison for one count of Robbery in Indian Country and 51 months in prison for one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country.  The sentences will run concurrently.

The charges arose from investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Adair County Sheriff’s Office.

On April 17, 2023, Thompson pleaded guilty to the charges.  According to investigators, on July 19, 2021, Thompson demanded car keys from the victim at gunpoint, then drove off in the victim’s car.  On April 8, 2022, while incarcerated at the Adair County Detention Center on separate charges, Thompson beat a fellow inmate, causing multiple skull fractures.

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

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

Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States.