Eastern District of Oklahoma

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Samuel Alexander Sevenstar, age 33, of Roland, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to two counts of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country, each punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment alleged that beginning in or about June 2019 and continuing until in or about April 2020, Sevenstar knowingly engaged in sexual acts with a victim who had attained the age of 12 years but had not attained the age of 16 years, and who was at least four years younger than Sevenstar.

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

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

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.

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

Sevenstar was remanded into the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Zavius Alexander Burgess, age 23, of Stillwater, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 71 months in prison for one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to Do Bodily Harm in Indian Country.  The Court ordered the term to be served consecutive to any undischarged term of imprisonment imposed in Kay County District Court case CF-2020-00049.  Burgess is currently incarcerated on two concurrent life sentences on that case for convictions of one count of Murder in the First Degree-Deliberate Intent, and one count of Conspiracy.

The assault charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hughes County Sheriff’s Office.

According to investigators, on January 7, 2025, while housed within the maximum-security unit of the Allen Gamble Correctional Center in Holdenville, Oklahoma, Burgess stabbed a correctional officer with a homemade knife. On August 28, 2025, Burgess, a registered tribal member, pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court.

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

The Honorable John F. Heil, III, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarrod Leaman represented the United States at the sentencing hearing.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Donyaeh King McDowell, a/k/a/ Donyaeh Akeen McDowell, age 22, of Ada, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in Death, punishable by twenty years to life in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.

The Indictment alleged that on March 2, 2024, McDowell knowingly and intentionally distributed a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, resulting in the death of the Victim from the use of the fentanyl.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the District 22 Drug Task Force, the Ada Police Department, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

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.

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

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that John Edward Peasha, II, a/k/a John Edward Peasha, Jr., age 44, of McAlester, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment charged Peasha with knowingly possessing one 9mm semi-automatic pistol and 11 rounds of ammunition on February 6, 2026, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

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

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

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

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

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin Knutson represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Justin Michael Hunter, age 38, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition, punishable by up to fifteen years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment charged Hunter with knowingly possessing one 9mm semi-automatic pistol and 35 rounds of 9mm ammunition on June 18, 2025, after having been convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

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

The Honorable D. Eward 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.

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

Hunter was remanded into the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Robert Thomas Richardson, age 43, of Shreveport, Louisiana, entered a guilty plea to one count of Failure to Register as Sex Offender, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

The Indictment alleged that Richardson was convicted of Rape by Instrumentation, in Rogers County on September 30, 2004, and Rape in the Second Degree, in Rogers County on December 21, 2010, and was required to register as a sex offender, and that from September 18, 2024, until January 17, 2026, Richardson failed to register and update his registration despite traveling in interstate commerce and entering, leaving, or residing in Indian country, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The charge arose from an investigation by the United States Marshals Service.

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.

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

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

Assistant U.S. Attorney Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that eleven co-defendants pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy and related charges arising from a Homeland Security Task Force Investigation.

On June 1, 2026, JERRY LEE GRIST, age 66, of Atoka, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Drug Conspiracy, punishable by ten years to life in prison and a $10,000,000 fine.

The following defendants previously entered guilty pleas to one Count of Drug Conspiracy, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000,000 fine:

• MEAGON RASHEL BOX, age 39, of Atoka, Oklahoma;
• LESLIE GALE BELLETTINI, age 67, of Coalgate, Oklahoma;
• SHAWNDA LA DAWN RUSSELL, age 56, of Ada, Oklahoma;
• DEAN DEWAYNE HENSLEE, age 52, of Idabel, Oklahoma;
• ANGIE EULALIA NUNEZ a/k/a Angie Farrell, age 51, of Durant, Oklahoma;
• RAYMOND ERWIN WELCH, age 58, of Dallas, Texas; and
• WILLA MARGARETTE WEAR, age 47, of Atoka, Oklahoma.

The following defendants previously entered guilty pleas on related charges:

• GLENN ROGER HYDE, age 65, of Ada, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, punishable by a period of up to 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine;
• DAVID GEORGE NUNEZ, age 56, of Durant, Oklahoma pleaded guilty to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine;
• TOMMY BLAKE McCARY, age 74, of Wright City, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

According to investigators, beginning in or about June 2024 and continuing until on or about October 15, 2025, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendants willfully and knowingly combined, conspired, confederated, and agreed together, and with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to commit offenses against the United States, namely the possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of 550 or more grams of methamphetamine.

The charges arose from a joint investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the Quapaw Nation Marshals, the Miami, Oklahoma Police Department, the Wyandotte Nation Police Department, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the LeFlore County Sheriff’s Department, the Atoka County Sheriff’s Department, the McCurtain County Sheriff’s Department, the Oklahoma District 16 Drug Task Force, the Oklahoma District 18 Drug Task Force, the Oklahoma District 22 Drug Task Force, the Durant Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigations Division, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

These prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion.  The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad.  Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders.  In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children.  The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.  HSTF Oklahoma City comprises agents and officers from the FBI, HSI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS, Oklahoma Highway Patrol and Oklahoma City Police Department, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan Conway, Jordan Howanitz, and Olivia Staubus are prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dwight Lowaine McGee, age 48, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment charged McGee with knowingly possessing one semi-automatic pistol and 8 rounds of ammunition on December 4, 2025, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

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

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

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

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Ned Elmer Johnson, age 37, of Mounds, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian country.

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

On August 12, 2025, Johnson pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, from April 2021 until April 2023, Johnson knowingly engaged in a sexual act with a person who had attained the age of 12 years but not yet attained the age of 16 years, and who was at least four years younger than Johnson.

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Tommy Allen Winkler, age 38, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was sentenced to twelve months and one day in prison for one count of Theft in Indian Country.

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

On May 15, 2025, Winkler pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, Winkler was appointed guardian to manage the victims’ property and assets.  Between November 16, 2022, and June 14, 2024, Winkler unlawfully transferred funds from the victims’ bank accounts into his personal bank account and spent the money for his own benefit.

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

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.  On June 18, 2026, Winkler will self-report to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration at a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Cornell and T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – Christopher J. Wilson, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, gathered with members of staff, community leaders, and the media today at the Muskogee non-profit, Fostering Hope, to honor Executive Director Annie Czaruk for her work with Oklahoma children and to award her the U.S. Department of Justice’s Hometown Hero Award for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

Czaruk, a Muskogee native, co-founded Fostering Hope in 2016 after encountering the stark gaps in funding and resources for children entering foster care.  Seeing the need, Czaruk rose to fill those gaps with resources and care.  In the ensuing ten years, what began with donation drives for emergency supplies has grown into something much greater, serving children in foster care across 58 counties in Oklahoma.

Today, Fostering Hope runs programs to meet the needs of foster children at all stages of care.  Staff members work with teams of volunteers to assemble backpacks that equip a child with all the essentials they might need for the first two weeks at their new placement before state funds begin to cover their care.  Backpacks might include a week’s worth of appropriately sized clothing and shoes, essential toiletries, baby blankets, formula, baby bottles, wipes, diapers, and toys.

Because Czaruk recognized another need in the foster care community, in 2020, Fostering Hope opened Hope House in Muskogee, offering a safe place for children and infants entering foster care.  There, children can regain their footing in a safe, warm, and welcoming environment while awaiting placement into foster homes.

And because life’s challenges don’t stop after placement, Czaruk and her team at Fostering Hope also serve as a training ground where teens in foster care learn and practice life skills.  A Teen Ambassador Board, chartered in 2021, teaches youth to interact with each other and with their community, modeling compassion, leadership, community involvement, and service for others. The Kind Society Social Club, launching this summer in partnership with Green Country Behavioral Health, will teach life skills in a fun community environment while preparing youth for adulthood and life beyond foster care.

“Through Fostering Hope of Muskogee, Annie serves as a continuing example of the good that multiplies from stepping in to meet a need,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson.  “Because of her vision and commitment to making a difference for children, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma is proud to recognize Annie Czaruk as our Hometown Hero.”

The Hometown Hero Award was created by the Department of Justice to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States of America.  Presented by U.S. Attorneys within their districts, the award recognizes local leaders who exemplify the qualities of Liberty, Service, and Civic Responsibility—the enduring ideals upon which our Nation was founded.

To learn more about the work Annie Czaruk, Fostering Hope, and Hope House are doing in Oklahoma, visit https://www.fosteringhopemuskogee.org/.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jonathon Roy Philpott, age 45, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to fourteen months in prison for one count of Unlawful User of Controlled Substance in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition.

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

On July 9, 2025, Philpott pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on February 4, 2025, knowing that he was an unlawful user of a controlled substance, Philpott knowingly possessed a semi-automatic rifle, a semi-automatic pistol, and 39 rounds of ammunition.

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Shane Edwin Fahrenholz, age 59, of Gore, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 27 months in prison for one count of Possession of Firearm After Conviction of a Misdemeanor Crime of Domestic Violence.

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

On October 8, 2025, Fahrenholz pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, between August 26, 2024, and September 12, 2024, Fahrenholz knowingly possessed a .30-30 lever-action rifle after having been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence in the State of Nebraska.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan E. Soverly and Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Pedro Ramirez Covarrubias, age 53, a Mexican national, unlawfully present in Adair County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 37 months of imprisonment for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.

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

On January 7, 2026, Covarrubias pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on December 3, 2025, Covarrubias, who was convicted of First-Degree Murder on May 6, 2015, in Harris County, Texas, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed from the United States on October 14, 2021.

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

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Concepcion Soto-Rivera, a/k/a Conception Soto-Rivera, age 41, a Mexican national unlawfully present in McIntosh County, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than two years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00.

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

The Indictment alleged that on March 17, 2026, Soto-Rivera, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on October 30, 2016, October 18, 2014, August 13, 2008, June 23, 2008, May 21, 2008, May 17, 2008, and May 13, 2008.

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

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

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

Soto-Rivera will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin Knutson and Nicole Paladino represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Oluyomi Omobolanle Bombata, a/k/a Bola, a/k/a Bola Flexx, a/k/a Bobo Chicago, age 27, of Chicago, Illinois, entered a guilty plea to one count of Wire Fraud Conspiracy, punishable by up to 27 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, one count of Wire Fraud, punishable by up to 27 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, and one count of Money Laundering Conspiracy, punishable by up to 27 years in prison and the greater of either a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction.

The Second Superseding Indictment alleged that beginning in June 2023 and continuing through September 2023, Bombata and other co-conspirators devised and executed a scheme to defraud and deceive victims by using “spoofed” emails and websites with falsely registered domain names to convince victims to wire funds to bank accounts fraudulently established and controlled by Bombata and his co-conspirators.  The Indictment further alleged that beginning in June 2023 and continuing through October 2023, Bombata conspired with others to conduct financial transactions to conceal and disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the proceeds of the fraud.

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

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.

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

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Langston Love Hughes, age 22, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Use, Carry, Brandish and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, punishable by not less than 10 years and up to life in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment alleged that on January 5, 2026, Hughes did knowingly use, carry, brandish, and discharge a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, that is, Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country.

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

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

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

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that John David James, II, age 41, of Warner, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment charged James with knowingly possessing two rounds of ammunition on November 6, 2025, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

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

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.

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

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

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olivia Staubus and Emily Wittlinger represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that James Lee Everett, a/k/a James Estes, age 36, of Checotah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Failure to Register as Sex Offender, punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment alleged that Everett was convicted of Rape in the Second Degree in Wagoner County on October 3, 2016, and was required to register as a sex offender, and that from October 17. 2021, until February 26, 2026, Everett failed to register and update his registration despite entering, leaving, or residing in Indian country, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The charge arose from an investigation by the United States Marshals Service Violent Crime Fugitive Task Force.

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

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

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Luis Virgilio Hilario, a/k/a Virgilio Luis Hilario, a/k/a Virgilio Hilario, a/k/a Agustin Santiagocordovas, a/k/a Liuis Virgiliohilario, a/k/a Luis Hilario Virgilio, a/k/a Luis Hilario-Virgilio, a/k/a Luis Virgilio-Hilario, age 35, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Atoka County, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than ten years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00.

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

The Indictment alleged that on March 27, 2026, Hilario, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on November 2, 2018, and July 20, 2018, and after previously being convicted of a felony.

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

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

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

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Michael Jason Sanders, age 45, of Pryor, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition.

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

On September 30, 2025, Sanders pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on May 5, 2025, Sanders knowingly possessed two semi-automatic pistols and 96 rounds of ammunition after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Clifford Lamont Driskell, age 45, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, and one count of Simple Possession of Phencyclidine, punishable by up to three years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment alleged that on July 1, 2025, Driskell knowingly possessed one semi-automatic pistol and 14 rounds of ammunition after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and knowing of such conviction.

The Indictment further alleged that on July 1, 2025, Driskell knowingly and intentionally possessed phencyclidine, a Schedule III controlled substance, after having been previously convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute and Distribution of Cocaine Base and Possession with Intent to Distribute and Distribution of Phencyclidine in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, and Distribution of a Controlled Dangerous Substance—Marijuana in Oklahoma County.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office, the Muskogee Police Department, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

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

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

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jessica Ann James, age 41, of Webbers Falls, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information of one count of Misprision of Felony, punishable by up to three years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Information alleged that beginning in or about October 2024, and continuing until on or about December 16, 2025, James, having knowledge of the actual commission of a felony cognizable by a court of the United States, to wit, Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), concealed the same and did not as soon as possible make known the same to some judge or other person in civil or military authority under the United States.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Indictment alleged that on March 27, 2026, Osario Lopez, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on April 28, 2015, August 19, 2015, and March 9, 2017.

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

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

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

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kyler Leroy Parish, age 19, of Porter, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information of one count of Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country, punishable by any term of years up to Life in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Information alleged that on March 18, 2024, Parish knowingly engaged in sexual contact with a child who had not attained the age of 12 years.

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

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

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

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

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Katrina Dawn McCroskey, age 52, of Fort Gibson, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information of one count of Bank Fraud, punishable by up to 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.

The Information alleged that beginning in January 2016 and continuing until February 28, 2023, McCroskey knowingly executed a scheme to obtain moneys, funds, credits, assets, securities, or other property owned by or under the custody or control of BancFirst, a federally insured financial institution, by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises.

As part of the plea, McCroskey admitted that, without the authority of her employer, she utilized her position as office manager for a medical doctor to commit the fraud.

The charge arose from an investigation by the United States Secret Service.

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

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

McCroskey was released on bond pending sentencing.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Pippin represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Raymond Lewis Spain, age 66, of Okemah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment alleged that beginning in or about March 2020, and continuing until in or about March 2024, Spain knowingly engaged in a sexual act with a victim who had attained the age of 12 years, but had not attained the age of 16 years, and who was at least four years younger than the defendant.

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

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

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

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

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Rachel Leah Sitton, a/k/a Rachel L. Sitton, a/k/a Rachel Sitton, a/k/a Rachel Leah Chesser, a/k/a Rachel Chesser, age 42, of Konawa, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, punishable by a term of up to 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine, and one count of Money Laundering, punishable by a term of up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment alleged that from in or about January 2021, and continuing through in or about March 2021, Sitton agreed and conspired to devise a scheme and artifice to defraud and to obtain money and property by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises, through wire communications in interstate commerce, certain signals and sounds for the purpose of executing a scheme and artifice to defraud Customers Bank and the Small Business Administration.

The Indictment further alleged that on or about March 18, 2021, Sitton knowingly engaged in a monetary transaction in criminally derived property of a value greater than $10,000.00, that is a cashier’s check in the amount of $20,000.00 in U.S. currency, derived from the specified unlawful activity of Wire Fraud.

The charges arose from an investigation by IRS-Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.

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

A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 
Sitton is released on bond with conditions pending sentencing.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Joshua Gabriel Blake, age 31, of Cameron, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information of one count of Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law, punishable by up to ten years in prison.

The Information alleged that on January 28, 2025, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, Blake, while acting under color of law as an Oklahoma State Highway Patrol Trooper, and while using a dangerous weapon, kicked the victim in the head, thereby willfully depriving the victim of the right, secured and protected by the Constitution and laws of the United States, to be free from unreasonable seizure, which includes the right to be free from the unreasonable use of force by a law enforcement officer.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

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

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

Blake was released on bond with conditions pending sentencing.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Sejaryee Lee Bear, age 42, of Okemah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served in prison (147 days) for one count of Accessory After the Fact—Murder in Indian Country, to be followed by a term of two years of supervised release.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Okemah Police Department, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

On August 12, 2025, Bear pleaded guilty in federal district court.  According to investigators, on June 30, 2024, Bear helped Michael Wayne Lambert flee after Lambert shot and killed the victim at an Okemah apartment complex.  In the hours after the murder, Bear turned off location services to her cell phone, deleted her location data, phone call records, and messages, and accompanied Lambert to the Bearden River Bridge on the North Canadian River, where Lambert discarded the murder weapon later recovered by investigators.

On September 11, 2025, a federal jury convicted Lambert at trial.  On April 2, 2026, Lambert was sentenced to a term of Life in prison for one count of Murder in Indian Country, and a consecutive ten years for one count of Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.

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

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

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lewis M. Reagan and Ryan Conway represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Brandon Jason Altamirano, age 39, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment charged Altamirano with knowingly possessing one semi-automatic pistol and 38 rounds of assorted ammunition in Okmulgee County on November 23, 2024, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

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

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

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

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Tyler Layne Gillispie, age 32, of Dickson, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault of a Spouse, Intimate Partner, and Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle, punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment alleged that on May 6, 2025, Gillispie assaulted the victim, a dating partner, by strangling.

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

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

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

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

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

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Morgan Muzljakovich and Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Bandy Jay Linam, age 47, of Sapulpa, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment charged Linam with knowingly possessing a .22 caliber revolver and nine rounds of .22 caliber ammunition in the Eastern District of Oklahoma on September 30, 2025, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

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

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.

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

Linam was released on bond with conditions of release pending sentencing.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jackie Leon Parker, Jr., age 51, of Morris, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment charged Parker with knowingly possessing a bolt-action rifle on October 7, 2025, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

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

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

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

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jimcy McGirt, age 77, was sentenced to 33 months in prison for one count of Failure to Register as Sex Offender, and 12 consecutive months in prison on the revocation of his supervised release for his May 2024 conviction of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country.  The Court also imposed a lifetime term of supervised release.

The charge and revocation arose from an investigation by the United States Marshals Service, the Seminole Nation Lighthorse Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On June 24, 2025, McGirt pleaded guilty to failing to register and update a registration under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”).   According to investigators, on August 31, 2024, McGirt was discovered residing at an apartment located less than 2,000 feet from a playground despite having registered his residence in another county.  Investigators also uncovered evidence that McGirt had been active on social media and the internet, a direct violation of the court-ordered terms and conditions of his supervised release imposed after his May 2, 2024, conviction in federal district court for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country.  McGirt, a registered sex offender, is required to notify local law enforcement of any changes of residence and is prohibited from residing within 2,000 feet of a playground or park.

“This sentence sends the clear message that sex-offender registry compliance is not optional and that orders of the Court are to be obeyed,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson.  “These requirements exist to protect our communities, and the United States will aggressively prosecute individuals who violate their SORNA obligations and restrictions.”

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

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah McAmis and Nicole Paladino represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Megan Renee Burgess, age 47, of Wewoka, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Theft in Indian Country, punishable by up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment alleged that beginning in January 2017 and continuing on until about November 7, 2022, Burgess did take, and carry away with intent to steal and purloin, the personal property of another, specifically, United States currency exceeding $1,000 in value.

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

The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Office of the Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector.

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

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

Burgess was released on bond pending sentencing.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Clifford Elmo Smith, age 41, of Poteau, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment alleged that beginning on or about April 20, 2025, and continuing until on or about January 13, 2026, Smith knowingly possessed one or more matters which contained visual depictions of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct, transported by, in, and affecting interstate and foreign commerce, which Smith accessed with the intent to view.

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

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

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

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

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Pippin represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Evert Linnel Eoff, age 63, of Atoka, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count Felon in Possession of a Firearm, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment charged Eoff with knowingly possessing one bolt action rifle and one semi-automatic rifle on January 10, 2026, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

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

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

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

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

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edith A. Singer and Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Tommy Joe Logan, age 52, of Seminole, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment charged Logan with knowingly possessing a rifle and nine rounds of assorted ammunition on June 2, 2023, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

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

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

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

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Christopher Bradley Gonzales, a/k/a Christopher Bradley Robison, age 32, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country, punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment alleged that on June 21, 2025, Gonzales assaulted the victim, resulting in serious bodily injury.

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

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

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

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

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kelly Justin Van Lewis, age 35, of Coweta, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 26 months in prison for one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, and to 26 months in prison for one count of Possession of Ammunition While Subject to Protective Order.  The Court ordered the terms to be served concurrently.

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

On August 21, 2025, Van Lewis pleaded guilty to the charges in federal district court.  According to investigators, on April 30, 2024, Van Lewis threatened and pointed a firearm at the victim, then racked the slide of the firearm three times after an apparent malfunction.  Law enforcement arrested Van Lewis the same day, and the victim obtained a protective order which included a prohibition against Van Lewis possessing firearms or ammunition.  In June of 2025, ATF Special Agents executed a search warrant at Van Lewis’ residence and seized 980 rounds of ammunition Van Lewis possessed in violation of his protective order.

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

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is proud to join forces with the ATF and with all local, state, Tribal, and federal agencies to investigate and prosecute perpetrators who wrongfully use firearms to jeopardize the peace and safety of our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Wilson.

“This conviction and federal sentence make clear that those who use firearms to threaten and terrorize intimate partners will be held fully accountable under the law,” said ATF Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge Brian Garner.  “ATF plays a critical role in enforcing the firearm prohibitions established under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), working alongside federal, state, and Tribal partners to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers. This work is essential not only to protecting victims and preventing further violence, but also to upholding our trust responsibilities to our tribal partners by ensuring safer communities and respect for the rule of law.”

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Tommy Lynn Byrd, Jr., age 38, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 33 months in prison for one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Muskogee Police Department.

On September 30, 2025, Byrd pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court.  According to investigators, on January 9, 2025, Byrd struck the victim multiple times on the head with a hammer.  The victim suffered severe scalp contusions and was treated at an area hospital.

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

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Joshua Wayne Taylor, age 47, of Wilburton, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 13 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition.

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

On August 27, 2025, Taylor pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court.  According to investigators, Taylor knowingly possessed a .22LR revolver and 53 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition on November 18, 2024, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Abraham Suy Suar, age 35, a Guatemalan national unlawfully present in Bryan County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.

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

On February 2, 2026, Suy Suar pleaded guilty in federal district court.  According to investigators, on November 17, 2025, Suy Suar, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on September 23, 2014.

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

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Cesar Gonzalez Falcon, a/k/a Cesar Falcon Gonzalez, a/k/a Cesar Gonzalez-Falcon, a/k/a Cesar Falcon Gonzales, age 41, a Mexican national unlawfully residing in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served for one count of Illegal Alien in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.

The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.

On August 26, 2025, Gonzalez Falcon pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court.  According to investigators, on May 12, 2025, Gonzalez Falcon, an alien illegally and unlawfully in the United States, and knowing of such status, knowingly possessed a 12-gauge pump action shotgun and four rounds of ammunition.

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

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.  Gonzalez Falcon was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshal for resolution of an ICE detainer.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that John Thomas Worthy, age 51, of Hugo, Oklahoma, was sentenced to one year of probation for one count of Possession of a Machine Gun.

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

On October 6, 2025, Worthy pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court.  According to investigators, on January 21, 2025, Worthy knowingly possessed a firearm that had been modified to shoot more than one round of ammunition by a single function of the trigger without manual reloading.

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that James Michael Young, Jr., age 43, of Bunch, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 2 years of probation for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition.

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

On October 1, 2025, Young pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court.  According to investigators, Young knowingly possessed 244 firearms and 40 rounds of ammunition on October 29, 2024, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dustin Scott Langley, age 33, of Overbrook, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 86 months in prison for one count of Possession of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.

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

On September 15, 2025, Langley pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on July 2, 2025, Langley knowingly possessed visual depictions of a minor who had not attained twelve years of age engaging in sexually explicit conduct, which Langley accessed with the intent to view.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Morgan Muzljakovich and Emily Wittlinger 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, local, and Tribal resources to prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.

To report suspected child trafficking or exploitation, please contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at report.cybertip.org, or call the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) at 1-800-843-5678.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jorge Alberto Mejia Rodriguez, a/k/a Alberto Mejia, a/k/a Jorge Mejia, age 45, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Bryan County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.

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

On January 21, 2026, Rodriguez pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court.  According to investigators, on November 17, 2025, Rodriguez, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on September 27, 2018, and August 23, 2014.

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

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

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Derek Michael James, age 41, of Durant, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 46 months in prison for one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country.

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

On July 9, 2025, James pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on January 27, 2025, James assaulted the victim with a dangerous weapon, intending to do bodily harm.

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

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

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