Eastern District of Oklahoma

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, 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 Eufaula Police Department.

On May 12, 2026, Soto-Rivera pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, 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 Senior District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr., of the United States District Court of the District of Maine, sitting by designation, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.

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 Gary Logan Pruitt, age 24, and Jade Larae Duncan, a/k/a Jade Larae Nakedhead, age 29, of Rocky Mountain, Oklahoma, each entered guilty pleas to one count of Child Neglect in Indian Country, punishable by a term of up to life imprisonment.

The Indictment alleged that between on or about April 8, 2025, and on or about April 22, 2025, Pruitt and Duncan willfully and maliciously failed and omitted to provide supervision to protect from harm or threatened harm to a child under the age of eighteen by failing to seek medical care for the victim while the defendants were responsible for the victim’s health, safety, and welfare.

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 Federal Bureau of Investigation 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.

Defendants will remain out on bond with conditions 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 Luis Alberto Garcia, age 64, a Mexican national unlawfully present in McIntosh 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 McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office.

On September 2, 2026, Garcia pleaded guilty to a Felony Indictment of the charge.  According to investigators, on August 17, 2026, Garcia, 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 May 30, 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 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 Chuck Sullivan represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Francisco Martinez-Infante, a/k/a Raymundo Infante-Ochoa, age 43, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Spiro, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than twenty 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 Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

The Indictment alleged that on June 23, 2026, Martinez-Infante, 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 March 1, 2024.

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.

Martinez-Infante will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

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 William Claborn Clark, a/k/a William Claborn Clark, Jr., a/k/a William Elaborn Clark, Jr., age 46, of Valliant, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 15 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, the McCurtain County Sheriff’s Office, and the Choctaw County Sheriff’s Office.

On November 10, 2025, Clark pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on May 10, 2025, law enforcement discovered Clark in possession of one .45ACP caliber semi-automatic pistol, one .30-06 caliber bolt-action rifle, one break-open rifle, and 23 rounds of ammunition after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Juan Cervantes Rodriguez, a/k/a Arellano Antonio Gomez, a/k/a Juan Roberto Cervantes, a/k/a Juan Cervantes Rodriguez, a/k/a Juan Rober Cervantes, a/k/a Juan Robert Cervantes, a/k/a Juan Cervantes-Rodriguez, a/k/a Juan Rober Cervantes-Rodriguez, a/k/a Antonio Gomez Arellano, a/k/a Juan Robert Rodriguez, a/k/a Juan Rober Rodriguez-Cervantes, age 47, a Mexican national unlawfully present in McCurtain, 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, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.

On June 11, 2026, Rodriguez pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on April 21, 2026, 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 May 3, 2010, August 29, 2011, and November 29, 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 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 Chuck Sullivan and Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Adrian Alcantar-Sanchez, a/k/a Pedro Ruiz-Betancur, age 46, a Mexican national unlawfully present in McIntosh County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 78 months in prison for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and 78 months imprisonment for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently.

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

On November 14, 2025, Alcantar-Sanchez pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, on March 29, 2025, a trooper conducting a routine traffic stop on I-40 in Sequoyah County discovered Alcantar-Sanchez in possession of 878.7 grams of pure fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance.   At the time he was apprehended, Alcantar-Sanchez had been previously removed from the United States on June 19, 2009, and April 6, 2012, and was in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission.

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 John F. Heil, III, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.  Alcantar-Sanchez 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 Singer represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Levi Grant Loyd, a/k/a Levi Grant Lloyd, age 37, of Westville, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day 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 Cherokee Nation Marshal Service.

On November 6, 2025, Loyd pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on June 4, 2025, law enforcement serving an outstanding felony arrest warrant discovered Loyd in knowing possession of one 12 gauge, semi-automatic shotgun, one 20 gauge pump paction shotgun, one .22 caliber, bolt action rifle, one .22 caliber, semi-automatic rifle, 8 rounds of 12 gauge ammunition, and 18 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dalton Dean Harjo, a/k/a Dolo, age 19, of Seminole, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Use, Carry and Brandish a Firearm During and In Relation to a Crime of Violence, punishable by no less than 7 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment alleged that on April 8, 2026, Harjo knowingly used, carried, and brandished a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol during and in relation to a crime of violence for which he may be prosecuted in a court of the United States, that is, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm.

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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Seminole Police Department, and the Seminole Nation Lighthorse 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.

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

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

Note, Johnson was sentenced to 60 months in prison. A previous version of the release misstated his prison sentence. The release has been updated.

Former NFL player LeShon Johnson of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, was sentenced today to 60 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $30,000 fine after being convicted at trial of six dog fighting-related charges.

Testimony at trial showed that Johnson — who pleaded guilty in 2004 to Oklahoma dog fighting offenses — had been running a major operation since at least 2007 that bred and sold fighting dogs for profit. Johnson, who previously ran “Krazyside Kennels” referred to his new operation as “Mal Kant Kennels.” The jury heard evidence that Johnson bred and trafficked hundreds of dogs for the purpose of dog fighting around the country. Authorities seized 190 dogs from his property, the largest number ever seized from a single individual in a federal dog fighting case.

“LeShon Johnson will face justice for building another particularly egregious and violent dog fighting scheme,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. “As Johnson was well aware, dog fighting is a felony in all 50 states. To anyone attempting to build violent and illicit business schemes: you can run, but you can’t hide from the Department of Justice.”  

“LeShon Johnson continued to traffic dogs for illegal fighting despite a 2004 state conviction for similar conduct,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “We are grateful to our colleagues at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma and the FBI for partnering with ENRD to bring this repeat offender to justice and to the U.S. Marshals Service for executing the biggest rescue operation of its kind.”

“The defendant operated a business which promoted and profited from animal cruelty,” said U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Wilson for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “I applaud our law enforcement partners for their work to investigate this case and hold Mr. Johnson accountable for his crimes.”

“The animals in this case were defenseless and the defendant used them to harm each other for his entertainment,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI New Orleans Field Office. “The FBI appreciates the work of ENRD and the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of Oklahoma to hold Mr. Johnson responsible for his mistreatment of these animals.”

At trial, the jury heard evidence that Johnson advertised many of his dogs as “champions” and “grand champions,” meaning they had won three or five fights, respectively. Johnson also boasted of the fighting prowess of his dogs. Johnson would sell litters of puppies from favorable fighting bloodlines and “stud fees” for the right to breed with one of his male dogs, with proceeds totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars. 

The FBI’s New Orleans Field Office, Shreveport Resident Agency Office investigated the case.

Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section is prosecuting the case. Additional assistance was provided by former Trial Attorneys Ethan Eddy, Sarah Brown, and Todd Gleason of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section, and by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan Howanitz and Olivia Staubus for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Vet Sentrel Colbert, age 44, of Atoka, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 3 years’ probation for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm.

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

On November 5, 2025, Colbert pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on August 3, 2024, law enforcement discovered Colbert in possession of a 9mm Luger caliber, semi-automatic pistol after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

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 Edith Singer represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Vicki Lou Rhyne, age 45, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to three counts of Child Abuse in Indian Country, each count punishable by a term of up to Life in prison and a $5,000 fine.

The Indictment alleged that between in or about January 2025 and on or about August 5, 2025, Rhyne willfully and maliciously caused harm, failed to protect from harm, and tortured and injured three children under the age of eighteen. The Indictment further alleged that Rhyne withheld food as punishment, restrained the minor victims, and struck and slapped them, all while responsible for the children’s health, safety, and welfare.

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

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

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.

Rhyne 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 Adan Cruz-Castillo, a/k/a Adan Cruz-Castillo, a/k/a Adan Cruz, a/k/a Adam Cruz, 33, a Mexican national unlawfully present in McIntosh 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 Checotah Police Department.

On July 29, 2026, Cruz-Castillo pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on June 18, 2026, Cruz-Castillo, 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 June 23, 2022, and January 12, 2018.

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 Kristin Knutson represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Martin Aranda Zavala, a/k/a Martin Misael Aranda Zavala, age 29, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Illegal Alien in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition, punishable by imprisonment for up to 15 years and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment alleged that on May 6, 2026, Zavala, an alien, was found in possession of one semi-automatic pistol and 15 rounds of ammunition, knowing that he was an alien illegally and unlawfully in the United States.

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

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.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorney Chuck Sullivan represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that OSNI AYALA AVELAR, a/k/a Hosni Hernandez, a/k/a Hosni Ayala Avelar, a/k/a Hosni Aldair Hernandez-Avelar, a/k/a Hosni A. Ayala, a/k/a Osni Aldair Ayala-Avelar, a/k/a Osni Ayala, a/k/a Hosni Hernandez-Avelor, a/k/a Hosni Hernandez-Avelar, age 35, a Salvadoran national unlawfully present in Pittsburg 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.

The Indictment alleged that on June 12, 2026, Avelar, 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 July 26, 2017, January 28, 2011, and May 26, 2009.

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.

Avelar 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 Robert William Rainford, age 51, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Second-Degree Murder in Indian Country, punishable by imprisonment for a period of any term of years and up to life, and a $250,000 fine.

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

On May 5, 2023, Rainford was found guilty at trial by a federal jury for one count of First-Degree Murder in Indian Country in the shooting death of Rainford’s Muskogee neighbor.  Rainford appealed that conviction to the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, arguing that the jury instructions given in his case limited the ability of jurors to evaluate the defenses he offered at trial.   The Tenth Circuit agreed, reversing the conviction and remanding Rainford’s case to district court for a new trial.

During the plea hearing, Rainford agreed that at trial, the Government could prove beyond a reasonable doubt that on December 12, 2021, in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, Rainford unlawfully shot and killed his neighbor, an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation, with malice aforethought.  As part of the written plea agreement, the parties agreed that a sentence of 120 months imprisonment is an appropriate disposition of the case.

The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court, 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 parties’ recommendation, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other statutory factors.

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

Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Conway represented the United States at the hearing.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that BILLIE RENEE VANN, 41, of Welling, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of Murder in Indian Country –Second Degree, one count of Child Neglect in Indian Country, and one count of Use, Carry, and Brandish of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.

The jury trial began with testimony on August 4, 2026, and concluded on August 6, 2026, with the guilty verdicts.

During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on September 5, 2022, Vann:

• failed to shield her son, then a teenager and minor in her care, from exposure to illegal activity while charged with the duty of his care and welfare;
• aided and abetted her teenage son to commit murder; and
• armed herself with a handgun and purposefully brandished it during the commission of the murder.

On July 1, 2026, Vann’s co-defendants each pleaded guilty in federal district court to charges relating to the shooting.  Jermyn Damon Vann Jr., 21, of Welling, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to two counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to Do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, and one count of Causing the Death of a Person in the Course of a Violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c).  Jermyn Damon Vann Sr., 41, of Welling, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Child Neglect in Indian Country.

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

The guilty verdicts were the result of investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Tahlequah Police Department, and the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service.

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report.  Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report.

The defendants will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals until sentencing.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory Dean Burris and Olivia Staubus represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Rodanim Castellanos-Julian, a/k/a Rodanim Castellanos, age 27, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Haskell 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.

The Indictment alleged that on July 3, 2026, Castellanos-Julian, 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 December 5, 2024.

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.

Castellanos-Julian 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 ARNULFO FERNANDEZ SOLIS, a/k/a Carlos Fernandez Soliz, a/k/a Carlos Alberto Solis, a/k/a Carlos Alberto Alimaranon, a/k/a Juan Garcia Paramo, a/k/a Juan Garciap, a/k/a Carlos Albert Solis, a/k/a Samuel Santana, a/k/a Carlos Soliz, a/k/a Carlos F. Soliz, a/k/a Carlos A. Solis, a/k/a Juan Paramo, a/k/a Carlos Slismaranon, a/k/a Arnulfo Fernandez, a/k/a Carlos Albert Soliz, a/k/a Arnulfo Solis Fernandez, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Okmulgee 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.

The Indictment alleged that on April 24, 2026, Solis, 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 May 2, 2005, June 28, 2001, and January 29, 1998.

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.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorney Chuck Sullivan represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Michael Dee Jamison, a/k/a Michael Holt, 54, of Durant, 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 Jamison with knowingly possessing one .22 long rifle caliber, bolt-action rifle and 54 rounds of .22 long rifle caliber ammunition on April 9, 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 Bryan County Sheriff’s Office.

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.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorney Chuck Sullivan represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Justin Leon Westbrook, 43, of McAlester, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine, punishable by a minimum of five years and a maximum of 40 years in prison and a $5,000,000 fine, and one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment charged Westbrook with knowingly and intentionally distributing 5 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual), a Schedule II controlled substance, on July 23, 2025.

The Indictment also charged Westbrook with knowingly possessing one semi-automatic pistol, serial number obliterated, on July 29, 2025, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

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.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorney Chuck Sullivan represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Adan Cruz Castillo, a/k/a Adan Cruz-Castillo, a/k/a Adan Cruz, a/k/a Adam Cruz, 33, a Mexican national unlawfully present in McIntosh County, Oklahoma, plead 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 Checotah Police Department.

The Indictment alleged that on June 18, 2026, Cruz Castillo, 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 June 23, 2022, and January 12, 2018.

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.

Cruz Castillo 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 Angel Roberto Chavez-Nunez, a/k/a Angel Roberto Chavez Nunez, 33, a Cuban national unlawfully present in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Illegal Alien in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than 15 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, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Okmulgee County District Attorney’s Office.

The Indictment alleged that on November 4, 2025, Chavez-Nunez, an alien illegally and unlawfully present in the United States and knowing of such status, knowingly possessed six rounds of ammunition and one semi-automatic rifle shipped in interstate commerce.

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.

Chavez-Nunez 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 Tyson Gene Williams, 46, of Muskogee, and Tyson Gene Goins, 21, of Wagoner, were sentenced today in federal district court.

Williams was sentenced to 57 months for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition.   Williams pleaded guilty to the charge on October 6, 2025.

Goins was sentenced to 51 months for one count of Possession of a Stolen Firearm, and to 51 months for one count of Illegal Receipt of a Firearm by a Person Under Indictment or Information.  The Court ordered the terms to be served concurrently.  Goins pleaded guilty to the charges on September 10, 2025.

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

According to investigators, on April 19, 2025, an officer initiating a routine traffic stop on Williams’ and Goins’ vehicle discovered Williams in possession of two semi-automatic pistols and 27 rounds of ammunition after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

During the stop, Goins was discovered in possession of two semi-automatic pistols, knowing that the firearms were stolen. At the time of the traffic stop, Goins was under Indictment for a felony criminal case in McIntosh County District Court.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.  The defendants 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 Leran Ortiz Pittman, 42, of Davis, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm.

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

On October 21, 2025, Pittman pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, Pittman knowingly possessed a semi-automatic pistol on January 7, 2025, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.  Pittman 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 Frank William Shouse, 69, of Eufaula, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine, and 70 months in prison for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.  The Court ordered the terms to be served concurrently.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, the McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office, and the District 18 District Attorney’s Office.

On October 21, 2025, Shouse pleaded guilty to the charges in federal district court.   According to investigators, on August 21, 2025, Shouse knowingly and intentionally distributed approximately an ounce of a substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, from his Eufaula residence.  On August 29, 2025, agents executed a search warrant at Shouse’s residence and discovered approximately two and one-half ounces of a substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine packaged for distribution in multiple small baggies.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that five co-defendants pleaded guilty to federal drug offenses and related charges.

On May 18, 2026, Anthony Wayne Schoggins, 40, of McAlester, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, and one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, each punishable by a term in prison of at least 5 years and up to 40 years, and a $5,000,000 fine.

Three co-defendants entered guilty pleas to one count of Drug Conspiracy, punishable by ten years to life in prison and a $10,000,000 fine:

• Gerardo Cisneros Jr., 49, of McAlester, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty on February 19, 2026;
• Gabrielle Ralene Dawn Brown, 31, of McAlester, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty on February 19, 2026; and
• John Douglas Renkes, 38, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty on March 11, 2026.

On July 20, 2026, Charlie Dawn Edwards, 45, of McAlester, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to a one-count Information of Misprision of Felony, punishable by up to 3 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment alleged that on June 1, 2025, Schoggins knowingly and intentionally possessed with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, and 5 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual), Schedule II controlled substances.

The Indictment further alleged that beginning in or about March 2025, and continuing through September 2025, Brown, Renkes, Cisneros, and others knowingly and voluntarily conspired to possess with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl and at least 5 grams of methamphetamine (actual), Schedule II controlled substances.

The Information alleged that on June 9, 2025, Edwards, having knowledge of the actual commission of a felony by Schoggins, cognizable by a court of the United States, to wit, Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, did conceal the same, and did not, as soon as possible, make known the same to some judge or other person in civil or military authority.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration-McAlester Resident Office, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the McAlester Police Department, and the District 18 Drug Task Force.

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

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

Schoggins, Cisneros, Brown, and Renkes will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.  Edwards will remain released on bond with conditions pending sentencing.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Conway represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Carlos Banegas-Contreras, age 47, an illegal alien from Honduras, was sentenced to 27 months in prison for one count of Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Secret Service, the Indiana State Police, the Benton County, Indiana Sheriff’s Department, the Benton County, Indiana Prosecutor’s Office, the Poteau, Oklahoma Police Department, and the Houston, Texas Police Department.

On October 6, 2025, Banegas-Contreras pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court.

According to investigators, in June of 2023, Banegas-Contreras and others conspired to use fake identification cards to cash 178 fraudulent paychecks totaling $299,474.00 at three check-cashing businesses and at five branches of a local bank.  The fraudulent paychecks were designed to look like they had been issued by a building materials supply company 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.  Banegas-Contreras 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 T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Calvin Ray Westfield, age 68, of Hugo, 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 Westfield with knowingly possessing one .22 caliber, semi-automatic pistol, one 12-gauge pump action shotgun, 11 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition, and 3 rounds of 12-gauge ammunition on August 28, 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 Hugo 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.

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

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 Kelly Von Morck, age 36, of Hartshorne, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 46 months in prison for one count of Unlawful User of Controlled Substance in Possession of a Firearm, 46 months  for one count of Unlawful User of Controlled Substance in Possession of Ammunition, and 46 months for one count of User of a Controlled Substance in Possession of Explosives.  The Court ordered the terms to be served concurrently.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Hartshorne Police Department, the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Bomb Squad, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

On August 19, 2025, Morck pleaded guilty to the charges in federal district court.  According to investigators, on October 20, 2024, Hartshorne Police officers, Pittsburg County deputies, ATF task force officers and special agents, and the OHP bomb squad responded to an explosion in a Hartshorne neighborhood originating from Morck’s residence.

Upon arriving on the scene, law enforcement discovered property damage indicating a large explosion and Morck suffering from third degree burns.  Morck was life-flighted to a Tulsa hospital for care, where he tested positive for amphetamines, cocaine, cannabinoids, and fentanyl.  A lab for making homemade explosives was discovered within the residence, and outbuildings on the property were found to contain bulk quantities of ingredients and precursors for manufacturing explosives, as well as improvised explosive devices, destructive devices, multiple firearms, and ammunition. Investigators securing the crime scene also recovered quantities of methamphetamine, marijuana, LSD, MDMA, steroids, and psychedelic mushrooms.

In June of 2025, ATF returned to Morck’s residence with search warrants and discovered Morck, an unlawful user addicted to a controlled substance, in possession of narcotics, a firearm, ammunition, and additional suspected explosives and destructive devices.

“The defendant posed a significant and uniquely dangerous threat to himself and his community,” said U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “I applaud law enforcement, especially ATF, for their actions to prevent other potential injuries and hold the defendant accountable for his crimes.”

ATF Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge Brian Garner had this to say about Morck’s sentencing: “Homemade explosives present an inherent and significant threat to public safety. The serious injuries sustained by Mr. Morck underscore the extreme dangers associated with manufacturing and handling these devices.  Despite those injuries, he continued his efforts to manufacture homemade explosive materials and destructive devices, further increasing the risk to himself and the community.

The coordinated response of our task force officers, special agents, and certified explosives specialists was critical in safely processing and mitigating multiple hazardous scenes, preventing additional harm and protecting the public from further danger.

Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of these offenses and reinforces our commitment to protecting the community.  It demonstrates that individuals who endanger public safety through the unlawful manufacture of destructive devices and homemade explosives will be held accountable and that justice will be served.”

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

The Honorable John F. Heil, III, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.  Morck 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 Ronald James Yates, age 61, of Tyler, Texas, was sentenced to 123 months in prison for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Hugo Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety (TDPS), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Regional Laboratory.

On October 6, 2025, Yates pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on February 24, 2025, Hugo officers received a tip from TDPS that Yates, who was wanted for a federal probation violation, had crossed from Texas into Oklahoma.  Officers apprehended Yates at a Hugo business, and upon arresting Yates on the warrant, discovered Yates in possession of 148.6 grams of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.  At the time of arrest, Yates was serving a term of supervised release after having been previously convicted of one count of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas.

“The investigation, arrest, and prosecution of the defendant is a textbook example of state, local, and federal law enforcement working together to combat illegal drug trafficking,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “I commend all the agencies that assisted in taking a repeat drug offender off the streets.”

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jorge Luis Mejia-Mejia, 40, of Mexico, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

According to investigators, on March 29, 2025, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper conducting a routine traffic stop on Interstate 40 near Sallisaw arrested Mejia-Mejia after discovering over 878 grams of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, concealed in an airbag panel of the vehicle.

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

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.

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 Jeffery Ryan Black, age 29, of Wewoka, 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 Black with knowingly possessing one semi-automatic rifle, 65 rounds of ammunition, and three cartridge casings on January 23, 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 Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Tribal 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.

Black 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 the unsealing of a federal indictment against two employees of a state-registered Seminole County marijuana farm on charges relating to illegal foreign pesticides.

The Indictment charges Jin Zhao Chi, a/k/a/ a Chi LU, a/k/a A Chi, age 44, with one count of Conspiracy to Smuggle Goods into the United States, one count of Smuggling Goods into the United States, and one count of Unlawful Distribution and Sale of Pesticides—Misdemeanor.

The Indictment also charges Dian Lin Jiang, a/k/a Dianlin Jiang, age 65, with one count of Unlawful Distribution and Sale of Pesticides—Misdemeanor.

The Indictment alleges that while employed at the marijuana growing operation:

• On February 25, 2025, and continuing to on or about March 19, 2025, Chi willfully and knowingly conspired to import unregistered and misbranded pesticides from Hong Kong into the United States, knowing that the importation was contrary to law;
   
• On February 25, 2025, and continuing to on or about March 19, 2025, Chi fraudulently and knowingly imported merchandise contrary to law, to wit, unregistered and misbranded pesticides, and did receive, conceal, buy, sell, and in any manner facilitate the transportation, concealment, and sale of such merchandise after importation, knowing it to have been brought into the United States contrary to law;
   
• Beginning in or about June 2022, and continuing to in or about February 2025, Chi knowingly distributed, sold, offered for sale, held for distribution, held for sale, held for shipment, shipped, delivered for shipment, released for shipment, and received, delivered, and offered to deliver an unregistered pesticide; and
   
• Beginning on or about April 27, 2022, and continuing to on or about May 8, 2023, Jiang distributed, sold, offered for sale, held for distribution, held for sale, held for shipment, shipped, delivered for shipment, released for shipment, and received, delivered, and offered to deliver an unregistered pesticide.

The charges arose from a joint investigation led by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and Homeland Security Investigations.

A grand jury Indictment does not constitute evidence of guilt.  A grand jury Indictment is a method of bringing formal charges against the defendant.  All defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and may not be found guilty unless evidence establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Assistant U.S. Attorney T. Cameron McEwen is 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 Russell Jeremy Doctor, age 37, of Longtown, 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 Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police, the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

On October 15, 2025, Doctor pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court.  According to investigators, on May 4, 2025, Doctor knowingly possessed a semi-automatic rifle and eight rounds of ammunition after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

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.  On August 10, 2026, Doctor will self-report to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

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 Sammy Monroe Ebarb, Jr., age 41, of Longtown, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for one count of Failure to Register as Sex Offender.

The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force and the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office.

On October 8, 2025, Ebarb pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court.  According to investigators, Ebarb was convicted of First Degree Rape in the District Court of Latimer County, Oklahoma, on May 20, 2003, and was required to register as a sex offender, and that from November 2024 to February 2025, Ebarb failed to register and update his registration despite entering, leaving, or residing in Indian country, within 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.  Ebarb 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 Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Steven Ray Quigley, a/k/a Steven Woods, age 38, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, 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 Quigley was convicted by the State of Oklahoma of Lewd or Indecent Acts to Child Under 16 in Mayes County on October 11, 2012, and was required to register as a sex offender, and that from May 2022 until May 22, 2026, Quigley 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 U.S. Marshals Service Violent Crimes 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.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Morgan Muzljakovich and Sarah McAmis represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Nariah Demournay Jones, age 23, of Moore, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 10 months in prison for one count of Burglary in the Second Degree in Indian Country.

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

On March 18, 2026, Jones pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court.  According to investigators, on April 2, 2024, Jones and two co-defendants, Demontrae Davion Rogers, 20, of Wewoka, Oklahoma, and Damarion Hiawatha Nichols, 21, of Moore, Oklahoma, forcibly entered a detached residential garage in Wewoka intending to commit a felony.  Once inside, Rogers and Nichols held four individuals at gunpoint and proceeded to strike one with their weapons, causing lacerations and abrasions to the victim.

On April 1, 2026, Rogers was sentenced to 21 months in prison for one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, to be served consecutively to 84 months in prison for one count of Use, Carry, and Brandish of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.  Rogers was also sentenced to 12 months in prison for Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number, to be served concurrently to the assault charge.

On March 5, 2026, Nichols was sentenced to 46 months in prison for four counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country.

The crime occurred in Seminole County, within the boundaries of the Seminole 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. Jones will self-report on August 10, 2026, 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 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, was sentenced to 15 months in prison 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 Stringtown Police Department.

On May 5, 2026, Hilario pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court.  According to investigators, 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 Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.  Hilario 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 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, 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 Stringtown Police Department.

On April 28, 2026, Osorio Lopez pleaded guilty in federal district court.  According to investigators, 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 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 Olivia Staubus represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jason Mance Van Orsdol, a/k/a Jason Mance VanOrsdol, age 47, of Henryetta, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for one count of Interstate Transmission of Threatening Communications.

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

On March 4, 2026, Van Orsdol pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on September 24, 2025, while on a phone call with an ATF agent, Van Orsdol threatened to kill the agent.

“Threats against law enforcement officers will never be taken lightly,” said ATF Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge Brian Garner.  “Every ATF special agent puts themselves in harm’s way to protect our communities, and those who threaten violence against them will be investigated and held accountable. This sentence demonstrates our unwavering commitment to protecting our personnel and ensuring that anyone who attempts to intimidate or threaten federal law enforcement faces the full weight of the justice system.”

“Policing is difficult and dangerous work, and threats against the dedicated agents, investigators, and officers who serve is reprehensible and cannot be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Wilson.  “The U.S. Attorney’s Office stands firm in its commitment to support law enforcement partners who risk their lives daily securing the rights and safety of the public.”

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.  Van Orsdol will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated 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 Joseph Nelson Ebert, 35, a former shift supervisor at the McCurtain County Jail in Idabel, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to a one count Information of Conspiracy Against Rights, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine, and to a one-count Information of Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law, also punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.

An Information filed against Ebert on July 2, 2026, alleged that on or about September 15, 2021, Ebert, while acting pursuant to his authority as a shift supervisor at the McCurtain County Jail, knowingly and willfully conspired with others to injure, oppress, threaten, and intimidate an arrestee in the free exercise and enjoyment of the right, 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 use of unreasonable force by a person acting under color of law.

A second Information filed against Ebert on July 2, 2026, alleged that on or about January 4, 2022, while acting under color of law as a shift supervisor in the McCurtain County Jail, Ebert willfully deprived a pretrial detainee of the right, secured and protected by the Constitution and laws of the United States, not to be deprived of liberty without due process of law, which includes the right to be free from the use of unreasonable force by a correctional officer.  Ebert physically assaulted the detainee, who was restrained and not posing a threat to anyone.  The assault resulted in bodily injury to the detainee.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation 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. Ebert will remain free 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 that Christopher Bradley Gonzales, a/k/a Christopher Bradley Robison, 32, was sentenced to 46 months in prison for one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country.

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

On April 13, 2026, Gonzales pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on June 21, 2025, Gonzales attacked the victim from behind, stabbing the victim multiple times with a knife.  Gonzales fled on foot but was quickly apprehended by officers.  The victim sustained multiple injuries and was life-flighted for emergency medical care.

The crime occurred in Pontotoc County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw 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.  Gonzles 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 Jason Duane Henrichs, age 47, of Checotah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.

On October 9, 2025, Henrichs pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court.  According to investigators, on November 22, 2022, Henrichs distributed 111.9 grams of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.

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

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Runningbear Pettit, 24, of Bunch, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to Do Bodily Harm, and to 120 months in prison for one count of Use, Carry, Brandish, and Discharge of Firearm During A Crime of Violence.  The court ordered the terms to be served consecutively.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, and the Stilwell Police Department.

On June 9, 2025, Pettit pleaded guilty to the charges in federal district court. According to investigators, on January 30, 2025, Stilwell officers responded to an emergency call of shots fired at a Stilwell residence.  Witnesses reported that Pettit opened fire on the residence with a semi-automatic rifle.  The bullets penetrated the exterior of the building, striking and injuring an occupant.  Law enforcement arrested Pettit a short time later, and Pettit confessed to the shooting.

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

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.  Pettit 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 Lewis M. Reagan and Edith A. Singer represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jermyn Damon Vann, Jr., 21, and Jermyn Damon Vann, Sr., 41, of Welling, Oklahoma, entered guilty pleas in federal district court on Wednesday.

Vann, Jr., pleaded guilty to two counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to Do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, each punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, and to one count of Causing the Death of a Person in the Course of a Violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c), punishable by any term of years to life in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Vann, Sr., pleaded guilty to one count of Child Neglect in Indian Country, punishable by any term of years to life in prison, and a $5,000 fine.

The Indictment alleged that on September 5, 2022, Vann, Jr. assaulted two individuals with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm.  The Indictment further alleged that on September 5, 2022, Vann, Jr. knowingly discharged a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence for which they may be prosecuted in a court of the United States, that is, Murder in Indian Country and Murder in Perpetration of Burglary in Indian Country, and that in the course of this violation, Vann, Jr., caused the death of a person through the use of said firearm, which killing is a murder, in that Vann, Jr. murdered and unlawfully killed the victim with a firearm.

The Indictment also alleged that on September 5, 2022, Vann, Sr., willfully and maliciously failed and omitted to protect a child under the age of eighteen from exposure to illegal activity, all while responsible for the health, safety, and welfare of that child.

The crimes occurred in Cherokee 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 Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Tahlequah 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.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorneys T. Cameron McEwen, Olivia Staubus, and Gregory Dean Burris represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Joshua Leon Brown, age 35, of Muldrow, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to two counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country, each punishable by a period of 30 years to life in prison and a fine of $250,000.

The Indictment alleged that beginning in March 2023, and continuing until in or about November 2025, Brown knowingly engaged in sexual acts with a victim who had not attained the age of 12 years.

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 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.

Brown 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 Kyle Wayne Hudgins, age 40, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea in federal district court to one count of Assault with Intent to Commit a Felony in Indian Country, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, and one count of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, punishable by a minimum of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Superseding Indictment alleged that on November 18, 2024, Hudgins assaulted the victim with the intent to commit a robbery, and that Hudgins knowingly possessed two semi-automatic pistols in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime for which he may be prosecuted in a court of the United States, that is, Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.

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

The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, 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.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jarrod Leaman and Jessie K. Pippin represented the United States.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Andrea Dawn Cooper, age 34, of Sawyer, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment alleged that on November 2, 2020, Cooper assaulted the victim, resulting in serious bodily injury.

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

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

Cooper was released on bond with conditions 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 Devin Kyle Wain Dollar, age 36, of Durant, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country, one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, and one count of Assault of a Spouse, Intimate Partner, and Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country, each punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Indictment alleged that on June 15, 2024, Dollar assaulted one victim, resulting in serious bodily injury.

The Indictment also alleged that on that same date, Dollar assaulted a second victim with a dangerous weapon, with intent to do bodily harm.

The Indictment further alleged that on February 8, 2025, Dollar assaulted a third victim by strangling and attempting to strangle his intimate dating partner.

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

The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police Department, the Durant Police Department, and the Bryan County Sheriff’s Office.

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.

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

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