Northern District of Oklahoma

A Tulsa man was sentenced today in federal court for inappropriately touching a 17-year-old customer at a Sapulpa convenience store, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Sajjad Ali Khan, 51, of Tulsa, to five years of probation with six months on home detention. The defendant is also required to register as a sex offender.

On Feb. 2, 2021, Kahn pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact in Indian Country. In the blind plea, Khan admitted that he engaged in abusive sexual contact by intentionally touching the victim’s breasts without her permission on Sept. 15, 2020. The crime occurred at a convenience store owned and operated by Khan, which is across the street from a public park and swimming pool.

The FBI, Sapulpa Police Department, and Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marianne Hardcastle prosecuted the case.

Acting United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the August 2021 Federal Grand Jury A.

The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.

Christopher Leon Beauchamp. Assault of an Intimate and Dating Partner by Strangling, Suffocating, and Attempting to Strangle and Suffocate in Indian Country. Beauchamp, 30, of Chouteau, is charged with assaulting a Cherokee Nation citizen by strangling and suffocating the victim on June 7, 2018. The FBI, Mayes County Sheriff’s Office and Choteau Police Department are the investigative agencies. (21-CR-336).

Camaran Blake Breazeale. Robbery in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Breazeale, 29, of Sand Springs, is charged with committing the July 13, 2021, robbery and assault of a Sand Springs convenience store owner. Breazeale allegedly knocked down, repeatedly punched, and struck the victim six times in the head with the butt of a 12-guage shot gun. The defendant, a convicted felon, was prohibited from possessing a firearm by federal law. See Complaint press release here. The FBI and Sand Springs Police Department are the investigative agencies. (21-CR-344)

Christopher Dean Dana.  Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country; Coercion and Enticement of a Minor in Indian Country; Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country; Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child Under the Age of 12 Years in Indian Country; Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child Between the Ages of 12 and 16 Years in Indian Country (superseding). Dana is charged with sexually abusing a child starting when the victim was under the age of 12 and as she grew older. The abuse began in 2014 and continued through 2020. The FBI and Broken Arrow Police Department are the investigative agencies. (21-CR-228)

Bobby Antonio Deleon Jr. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; First Degree Burglary in Indian Country. Deleon Jr., 29, of Tulsa, allegedly shot a Cherokee Nation citizen on July 13, 2021. Earlier on June 26, 2021, Deleon also allegedly kicked in the same victim’s door, threatened the victim, and discharged his firearm into the floor. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. (21-CR-338)

Marshall Chippewa. Arson in Indian Country. On July 26, 2021, Chippewa, 35, of Tulsa, allegedly set fire to the outside of a QuikTrip on Memorial Dr. in Tulsa. He then allegedly poured gasoline on an inside countertop and lit it on fire. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. (21-CR-337)

Paul W. King. False Tax Return (superseding). King, 57, of Grove, allegedly created, signed and filed four false tax returns for the years 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014. Each return included a schedule C for King as the owner of King’s Guttering that reported gross receipts. In those, King did not report $68,350 in gross receipts for 2011; $153,364 for 2012; $136,831 for 2013; and $74,209 for 2014. In total, King failed to report $432,754 in gross receipts to the IRS. IRS-Criminal Investigation is the investigative agency. (21-CR-74)

Dameon Lamar Leathers. First Degree Murder in Indian Country; First Degree Felony Murder in Indian Country; Robbery in Indian Country; Causing Death by Using and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (superseding). New to this superseding indictment are counts 2-5. Leathers, 39, of Tulsa, allegedly shot and killed Howard Eugene Thompson during a robbery on April 6, 2018. Leathers also struck a Tulsa County assistant district attorney in the head with a water pitcher on Nov. 22, 2019, after receiving a guilty verdict at his state trial for the murder of Mr. Thompson. Leathers’ state conviction was later dismissed due to lack of jurisdiction. He was then was charged by federal prosecutors. Leathers is a citizen of the Muscogee Nation, and the crime occurred within the Cherokee Nation reservation. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. (21-CR-163)

Michael David Pierce. Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country. Pierce, 32, of Tulsa, is charged with attempting to engage in sexual contact with a minor between the ages of 12 and 16 on Oct. 21, 2019, in Claremore. The FBI and Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA) Lake Police are the investigative agencies. (21-CR-345)

Victor Miguel Flores Pina; Daniel Ibarra Calderon. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. Flores, 27, and Ibarra, 41, both illegally in the United States, are charged with possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and with possessing with intent to distribute marijuana. They are also charged with furthering their drug trafficking crimes by possessing a Smith &Wesson .40 caliber pistol; a Glock 23 .40 caliber pistol; and a shotgun with pistol grip. Finally, the two are charged with maintaining a residence for the purpose of manufacturing, storing, and distributing methamphetamine. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. (21-CR-339)

Wade Andrew Rutherford. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Rutherford, 53, of Skiatook, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Marlin Firearms Co. .22 caliber semi-automatic rifle and more than 200 rounds of ammunition. The FBI; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Cherokee Nation Marshal Service; and Washington County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. (21-CR-346)

Camren Dion Sanders. Robbery in Indian Country. Sanders, 20, of Tulsa, allegedly robbed a man at gunpoint on July 2, 2021, taking money, cigarettes and a rifle from the victim. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. (21-CR-347)

Joshua David Slinkard. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country (Counts 1 & 2); Possession of Child Pornography (Count 3) (superseding). Slinkard, 40, of Tulsa, is charged with sexually abusing a minor between Jan. 1, 2009, and Nov. 26, 2010. In this superseding indictment, Slinkard is also charged with possessing videos that showed the sexual abuse of minors. At least one of the children was under the age of 12. Slinkard was previously convicted in Tulsa County District Court for the crime. His conviction was later dismissed due to lack of jurisdiction. He was then charged by federal prosecutors. Slinkard is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, and the crime occurred within the Muscogee Nation reservation. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-266

Alexander Nicholaus Sweet.  Coercion and Enticement of a Minor; Production of Child Pornography; Receipt of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography. From September 2019 to July 26, 2021, Sweet, 28, of Tulsa, allegedly used electronic devices and social media to persuade and entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. During the same time, Sweet allegedly persuaded the minor to engage in sexually explicit behavior to produce child pornography using the victim’s computer and cell phone. Sweet is also charged with receiving and with possessing child pornography. The initial Complaint press release can be found here. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. (21-CR-340)

Delawnsha Lemar Tiger. Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor; Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country (superseding). From June 18, 2020, to June 22, 2020, Tiger, 27, of Bristow, allegedly coerced and enticed a minor between the ages of 12 and 16 to engage in sexual activity. He is further charged with sexually abusing the minor in Indian Country. The Bristow Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies. (20-CR-124)

Daijon Marque Welch. Second Degree Murder in Indian Country; Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Welch, 25, is charged with the second degree murder of Cameron Maurice Wilson by shooting him multiple times in the back, hip, chest and right hand. Welch is also charged with being a felon in possession of a Ruger 9mm Luger semi-automatic pistol. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. (21-CR-343)

Christian Joshua Wilson. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Wilson, 20, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Springfield .45 caliber pistol and associated ammunition. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. (21-CR-341)

 

An Arizona man was sentenced Wednesday in federal court for taking part in a methamphetamine and heroin drug conspiracy, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Anthony Ward Irving pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy on Nov. 25, 2020, and today was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan. Following his prison sentence, Irving will serve 5 years on supervised release.

In his written plea agreement, Irving admitted to conspiring with Tymalk Love, Casey Eastwood, and others to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine from January 2018 to February 2019. He further admitted to possessing with the intent to distribute heroin.

Irving acted as a “broker” for the transfer of the drugs between bulk distributors in Arizona and Love and his associates in Oklahoma and elsewhere. Irving admitted that he and his coconspirators coordinated drug deals using cell phones, drug couriers, and electronic transfers of cash. Irving received monetary compensation for his participation in the drug conspiracy.

In December, Eastwood also pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy. Love, who led the conspiracy while incarcerated in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, pleaded guilty in June to drug conspiracy and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas E. Duncombe and Kevin C. Leitch prosecuted the case.

A Sapulpa man who thought he was meeting a 14-year-old for sex but instead was met by deputies from the Rogers County Sheriff’s Office was sentenced today in federal court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Nicholas Robert Hale, 36, to serve 15 years in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Hale pleaded guilty to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor in April.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will identify, locate, and prosecute individuals, like Nicholas Hale, who seek to harm children,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The Rogers County Sheriff’s Office and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chris Nassar and Sandy Urban are to be commended for taking this child predator off the streets.”

In a written plea agreement, Hale admitted that from Nov. 9, 2020, to Dec. 22, 2020, he used a social media app to persuade and entice an individual he believed was a minor to engage in sexual activity. Hale believed he was interacting with a 14-year-old male but instead was communicating with an undercover officer from the Rogers County Sheriff’s Office. The two eventually agreed to meet at a convenience store in Verdigris in order to have sex. When Hale arrived, he was arrested and found to be in possession of methamphetamine, a loaded pistol in the front driver’s side door and an AR-15 rifle in the trunk of the car. During the investigation, child pornography, also known as child sexual abuse material, was discovered on Hale’s electronic devices.

The Rogers County Sheriff’s Office opened the investigation into Hale after they received a tip that Hale had tried to entice a minor living within the Northern District of Oklahoma.

The Rogers County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation with assistance from the Creek County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sandra M. Urban and Christopher J. Nassar prosecuted the case.

The case was a part of the Justice Department’s Project Safe Childhood initiative. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

A man who was arrested after a Mannford police officer discovered methamphetamine, fentanyl, and firearms in his vehicle pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Eric Steven Bentley, 34, of Bakersfield, California, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and to possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Bentley faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison.

In his plea agreement, Bentley stated that on Oct. 31, 2020, he and two codefendants, Derrick Deeds and Nicole Dileva, possessed more than 500 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute the drug. He said the trio traveled from Bakersfield, California, to the Northern District of Oklahoma to sell the methamphetamine and had already distributed quantities of the methamphetamine in exchange for cash and firearms.

He further stated that the three defendants possessed a Hermann Weihrauch (Arminius) .38 Special caliber revolver, a Jimenez Arms, Inc. 9 mm Luger caliber semi-automatic pistol, and a 9 mm privately made firearm.  Bentley, Deeds, and Dileva received the guns as payment for methamphetamine and used the firearms for protection while selling the drug.

The three were charged after an October 2020 traffic stop conducted by the Mannford Police Department. During a probable cause search of the vehicle, officers discovered three pounds of methamphetamine, pills later determined to be fentanyl, and the three firearms.

Deeds, 36, and Dileva, 34, both of Bakersfield, also pleaded guilty in July. The three defendants will be sentenced in November.

The Mannford Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica L. Wright and Justin G. Bish are prosecuting the case.

A 28-year-old Tulsa man was charged in federal court today after he allegedly enticed a 16-year-old and received sexually explicit pictures and videos of the girl, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Alexander Nicholaus Sweet, of Tulsa, made an initial appearance today in federal court after being charged by Criminal Complaint with coercion and enticement of a minor, production of child pornography, receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography. Sweet will next appear in court for a detention hearing on July 30.

The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office requests any other possible victims to contact the agency at 405-290-7770.

According to the affidavit filed with the Complaint, in December 2020, the FBI received information that Sweet was in an intimate relationship with a 16-year-old girl and was in possession of sexually explicit images of the victim that is considered child pornography. The information was allegedly corroborated during a resulting investigation.

The defendant also allegedly bragged about dating underage girls on multiple social media platforms.

The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward Snow and Christopher Nassar are prosecuting the case.

This matter will proceed in U.S. District Court in Tulsa, where the Complaint is currently pending. A Complaint is a temporary charge alleging a violation of law. For the case to proceed to trial, the United States must present the charge to a federal Grand Jury within 30 days. Once a Grand Jury returns an Indictment, a defendant has a right to a jury trial at which the United States would have the burden of proving the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Eleven defendants from the Joplin, Missouri, area have now been charged in a third superseding indictment for a kidnapping conspiracy that led to the death of an Osage citizen and for attempting to obstruct the ensuing federal investigation.

“The 11 defendants charged were allegedly involved in either the kidnapping and resulting death of Jolene Walker Campbell or with threatening witnesses and concealing evidence to cover up their crimes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This indictment reflects a year’s worth of thorough investigative work and commitment from FBI special agents and federal prosecutor Kevin Fletcher to provide justice for the victim and her family.”

Jolene Walker Campbell’s body was discovered on July 15, 2020, in a remote field in Mayes County within the boundaries of the Muscogee Nation. The victim’s identity was initially unknown. Through an investigation involving the FBI, Mayes County Sheriff’s Office, Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Police Department and the Joplin Police Department, Ms. Walker Campbell was soon identified. The kidnapping and resulting death is alleged to have occurred between July 4 and 5, 2020.

Brothers Tre Robert Allan Ackerson and Lane Ryan Bronson along with Jacob Ryan Scribner and Kimberly Kay Grissom are newly charged in the third superseding indictment. Grissom is Ackerson and Bronson’s mother. The two brothers are in state custody in Missouri. Scribner and Grissom remain at large. All other defendants are in custody or are on pre-trail release.

Defendants Breanna Lynn Sloan, Tre Robert Allen Ackerson and Lane Ryan Bronson, all non-Indians, are charged with a kidnapping conspiracy that resulted in the death of Jolene Walker Campbell, a citizen of the Osage Nation. According to the indictment, the defendants conspired with one another and others to kidnap the victim whom they suspected was a federal informant. On July 4, 2020, Bronson allegedly pointed a gun at the victim’s head and forced her into a vehicle in Joplin, Missouri. Between July 4 and July 5, 2020, Ackerson and Sloan are alleged to have transported the victim across state lines into Oklahoma, through both the Cherokee and Muscogee Nations, and left her body in a field in Mayes County within the boundaries of the Muscogee Nation. Counts 1-3 relate to the kidnapping and death of Ms. Walker Campbell.

In count 4, the trio is further charged with desecrating the victim’s body by disposing of it to conceal the crime and to impede any possible investigation and prosecution.

Chloe Louise Stith, David William Morris, Breanna Lynn Sloan, Morgan Lee Bowman, Sarah Michelle Humbard, Megan Louise Detherage, Ariel Sue Paige Divine, Tre Robert Allen Ackerson, Lane Ryan Bronson, Jacob Ryan Scribner, and Kimberly Kay Grissom are charged in Count 5 with conspiracy to tamper with a witness, victim, and informant by using and threatening physical force.  From July 5, 2020, to the date of the third superseding indictment (July 20, 2021) the defendants allegedly intimidated, threatened, and used physical force against at least four victims/witnesses/informants to prevent them from communicating with agents regarding the death of Ms. Walker Campbell.

Chloe Louise Stith, Ariel Sue Paige Divine, Tre Robert Allen Ackerson and Layne Ryan Bronson are charged in Count 6 with disposing of the victim’s belongings and her body on July 5, 2020, to make them unavailable as evidence in an investigation into the killing.

Breanna Lynn Sloan, Morgan Lee Bowman, Megan Louise Detherage, Tre Robert Allen Ackerson, and Lane Ryan Bronson are charged with tampering with a witness, victim, and informant in Count 7. On July 7, 2020, the defendants allegedly bound and blindfolded two witnesses, kidnapped them, and took them to a remote location. According to the indictment, the defendants then shot at Witness 1 with a semi-automatic rifle and told the witness to “dance” while Witness 2, still blindfolded, was forced to listen to the gunshots and Witness 1 scream. The two were then warned not to speak with law enforcement. In Count 8, the same defendants are charged for attempting to destroy evidence of the assault by cleaning one of the witnesses’ car with bleach.

Tre Robert Allen Ackerson, Lane Ryan Bronson, and Jacob Ryan Scribner are charged in Count 9 with tampering with a witness, victim, and informant when they allegedly carjacked Witness 1 to remind and warn the witness not to speak with law enforcement about the federal investigation. The incident occurred on July 19, 2020, two days after the news reported that the body found in Oklahoma was Ms. Walker Campbell.

Breanna Lynn Sloan is charged in Count 10 with tampering with a witness, victim, or informant by corrupt persuasion when on Aug. 8, 2020, she allegedly offered Witnesses 1 and 2 $1,000 if the witnesses recanted their testimony in Missouri state court against Tre Robert Allen Ackerson for the carjacking discussed in Count 9.

In Count 11, David William Morris, Sarah Michelle Humbard and Lane Ryan Bronson are charged with threatening physical force against Witness 2 with intent to hinder the witness’ testimony in Missouri state court. On Aug. 11, 2020, Morris and Humbard allegedly reminded Witness 2 about the death of Ms. Walker Campbell, warned that the witness was playing with fire, and directed the defendant to drive to a hotel in Carthage, Missouri, where they met Bronson. The indictment states that Bronson then demanded that Witness 2 appear in court the next day and change his testimony about Tre Robert Allen Ackerson or he would pay.

Chloe Louise Stith and Lane Ryan Bronson are charged in Count 12 with tampering with a witness, victim and informant. On Aug. 13, 2020, the two defendants allegedly covered Witnesses 3 and 4’s eyes with duct tape, bound their hands with zip ties, forced them into a car, and took them to a remote location. Bronson then allegedly beat Witness 3 while making Witness 4 watch. He stated that he heard Witness 4 was talking about the disappearance of Ms. Walker Campbell. He then allegedly warned that witness 4 would be beaten if the witness spoke to law enforcement.

Chloe Louise Stith and Jacob Ryan Scribner are charged in Count 13 with conspiracy to retaliate against a witness, victim and informant. On Aug. 22, 2020, the two allegedly conspired together and with others to retaliate against Witness 4 for speaking to authorities.

Finally, in Count 14, Tre Robert Allen Ackerson, Jacob Ryan Scribner, and Kimberly Kay Grissom are charged with conspiracy to retaliate against a witness, victim and informant. On April 26, 2021, they are alleged to have conspired together and with others to retaliate against Witness 3.

An indictment is merely an allegation and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Below is a list of defendants named in the indictment:

Chloe Louise Stith, 34

David William Morris, 34

Breanna Lynn Sloan, 22

Morgan Lee Bowman, 26

Sarah Michelle Humbard, 24

Megan Louise Detherage, 27

Ariel Sue Paige Divine, 29

Tre Robert Allen Ackerson, 27

Lane Ryan Bronson, 28

Jacob Ryan Scribner, 33

Kimberly Kay Grissom, 46

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Fletcher is prosecuting the case. AUSA Fletcher is a prosecutor from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Iowa. He volunteered to assist prosecution efforts here in the Northern District of Oklahoma due to increased jurisdictional responsibilities regarding crimes involving Native American victims or defendants and that occur within the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and Cherokee Nation Reservations.

Acting United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the July 2021 Federal Grand Jury B.

The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.

Nicholas Scott Avery, Chelsea Marie Fishinghawk. Carjacking. On June 17, 2021, Avery, 30, and Fishinghawk, 23, allegedly aided and abetted each another when they attempted to take a 2008 Maroon Honda Accord from the victim by force, violence, and intimidation. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-330

Dustin James Gullett. Coercion and Enticement of a Minor; Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor by Force in Indian Country; Receipt of Child Pornography. Gullett, 41, of Ardmore, is charged with coercion and enticement of a minor, aggravated sexual abuse of a minor by force, and receipt of child pornography. The crimes allegedly took place from March 5, 2021, to March 8, 2021, and the victim was between 12 and 16 years old. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Bartlesville Police Department, and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-324

Joseph Dale Irby. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Irby, 30, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Strassell’s Machine Inc. 9 mm Luger caliber pistol and 37 rounds of associated ammunition. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-331

Russell Rudolph Johnson. Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Suffocating in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Johnson, 47, of Tulsa, is charged with strangling an intimate partner on June 21, 2021. He is further charged with shooting the woman with a firearm the same day. Finally, he is charged with discharging the firearm during a crime of violence. The Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office and FBI are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-334

Rafael Gomez Medina; Daniel Rico Nolasco; Anabel Rodriquez Cervantes. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Medina, 51, of Tulsa, Nolasco, 42, of Tulsa, and Rodriguez, 33, of Oklahoma City, are charged with conspiring together and with others to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The trio are further charged possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The Drug Enforcement Administration is the investigative agency. 21-CR-325

David Anthony Romannose. Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force and Threat in Indian Country; Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country. Romannose, 44, of Stilwell, allegedly sexually abused a minor between 12 and 16 years of age on July 4, 2017. See initial charging press releases here. The FBI, Oneida Indian Nation Police Department, and Craig County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-332

Johnny Wayne Rose, Jr. Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor. Rose Jr., 40, of Mannford allegedly attempted to entice an individual he believed to be a minor to engage in sexual activity. The Roger’s County Sheriff’s Office is the investigative agency. 21-CR-326

Adam Douglas Sherwood. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Unlawful Use of a Communication Facility; Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crimes. As early as 2018, Sherwood, 43, of Wyandotte, co-conspirator 1, and others known to the grand jury allegedly conspired to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. On May 23, 2020, Sherwood and co-conspirator 1 aided and abetted each other to knowingly possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Sherwood further used a cell phone to send or receive at least 13 texts communicating about the distribution of the drug. Sherwood and co-conspirator 1 possessed a Lorcin Engineering Company .380 ACP caliber single action pistol and a Sturm, Ruger & Co. .22 MWR caliber double-action revolver. Additionally, Sherwood is alleged to have distributed methamphetamine to a number of drug dealers and drug users across Northeast Oklahoma for a period of over least two years dating back to early 2018. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Drug Enforcement Administration, and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 20-CR-307

Kip Jerome Shotpouch. Coercion and Enticement of a Minor in Indian Country; Possession of Child Pornography. Shotpuch, 37, of Jay, is alleged to have knowingly enticed and coerced a minor into engaging in sexual activity on April 17, 2016. He is further charged with possessing one or more child pornography images and video files of children younger than 12 years old. At the time of the crime, Shotpouch was a bailiff at the Delaware County Courthouse. U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-333

Aleta Necole Thomas; Pepper Jones; Katrina West. False Statement to a Financial Institution (Counts 1-18); Aggravated Identity Theft (Counts 16-17).  Pepper Jones, 42, and Katrina West, 38, both of Tulsa, are newly charged in this superseding indictment. Thomas, 42, of Tulsa, was previously charged. In total, Thomas, Jones, and West, together and separately, are alleged to have fraudulently applied for and received more than $795,000 worth of Paycheck Protection Program forgivable loans administered by the Small Business Administration under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Some of the false businesses the defendants allegedly used to apply for the loans included the Lead Us Kids Home Daycare, Coming Correction Community Ministries, Coming Correct Community Ministries II, and Lead Us Kids Daycare II. The Office of Inspector General Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; U.S. Department of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-239

Brandon Tyler Trammell. Theft in Indian Country - Over $1,000. Trammell, 25, of Sand Springs, is charged with stealing a 2006 Pontiac G6 Sedan. The FBI and Bixby Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-327

A Tulsa gang member pleaded guilty for conspiring with others to collect firearms and exchange them for marijuana to sell on the black market, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Shelvon Tyrone Williams, 27, pleaded guilty Thursday, July 15, to firearms conspiracy and will be sentenced Nov. 18, 2021.

In his plea agreement, Williams admitted that from November 2018 to March 2020, he collected and transported firearms from Oklahoma to northern California in exchange for distribution amounts of high-grade marijuana. Williams then sold the marijuana in the Northern District of Oklahoma.

“Shelvon Williams and his coconspirators furthered their illegal marijuana distribution operation by putting firearms into the hands of other dangerous criminals. The trafficking of firearms fuels violent crime and places those living in communities across our nation at risk,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The Justice Department is focused on preventing and disrupting violent crime. My office will work alongside our local, state, federal, and tribal partners to vigorously prosecute the criminal trafficking of firearms.”

On March 4, 2020, the U.S. Attorney’s Office charged Williams and five others for their involvement in the firearms conspiracy and drug conspiracy. Williams and other defendants are members of the Squeeze Team, a violent street gang made up of various members affiliated with the Bloods, Neighborhood Crips, and 5-tre Crips.

According to the indictment, the conspirators concealed the firearms in backpacks, duffel bags, and suitcases and transported them in cars and buses to individuals in California. The defendants purchased bus tickets with cash using false names to help conceal their crimes. In exchange for each handgun they delivered to California, the defendants received one to two pounds of high-grade marijuana shipped through the U.S. Postal Service. Conspirators in California shipped the packages of marijuana to a specific geographical region in Tulsa where U.S. Postal Service employee and codefendant, Whitney D’ron Clark, retrieved the packages. She then delivered the packages to other conspirators who re-packaged the marijuana for sale in northeastern Oklahoma.

Codefendants Brian Lee Thomas, Whitney D’ron Clark, and Kenyante Hampton previously pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy. Also pleading guilty to firearms conspiracy was codefendant Sheldon Tyrone Christopher Williams Jr.

“ATF and our partners are committed to stopping the illegal flow of firearms across the United States. Mr. Williams and his partners’ greed put the safety of Oklahomans and Californians at risk. They were living the high life for a while, but the law will always catch up with you. I applaud the efforts of all the agencies involved in this significant investigation” stated ATF Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II.

This prosecution was a part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Operation Squeezed Out. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.

The Tulsa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick prosecuted the case. AUSA McCormick serves as the lead attorney for the U.S. Attorney’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces.

Aaron James Seney, 33, of Sapulpa, was sentenced today to 78 months  in federal prison after pleading guilty to distribution and receipt of child pornography and to possession of child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell further ordered Seney to serve 10 years on supervised release following his prison sentence. The defendant will also forfeit property used to commit his crimes: an Iphone, USB Drive, a Samsung smartphone, a digital camera, and a desktop computer.

During his April plea hearing, Seney admitted that between March 24, 2020, and September 2, 2020, he distributed and received child pornography via the internet using file sharing programs. He further admitted that he knowingly possessed and accessed the child sexual abuse material. In total, investigators discovered 193 images and 33 videos depicting the abuse and rape of children as young as infants.

Judge Frizzell remanded Seney into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Tulsa Police Department, Sand Springs Police Department and Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar prosecuted the case.

A Cherokee citizen was charged by Criminal Complaint today for robbing a gas station owner in Sand Springs, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Camaran Blake Breazeale, 29, of Sand Springs, was charged with first degree robbery in Indian Country.

On July 13, the Sand Springs Police Department responded to a male loitering at a gas station. An officer arrived and notified Breazeale to leave the property’s premises.

Approximately twenty minutes later, the defendant returned to the gas station and said to the owner, “This is my store. Give me everything now.” According to the affidavit, video footage showed Breazeale striking the defendant with his fist multiple times and knocking him down. Then, he allegedly grabbed a shotgun and used the butt of the firearm to strike the victim repeatedly in the head saying, “Stop don’t move, or I will shoot you.” Breazeale then took cash from the register and exited the station.

The same police officer who responded to the initial loitering call was in the area when he heard a driver in a parked car yell at Breazeale on the north side of the store. As he approached Breazeale, a customer came running out to the store saying a man was on the floor covered in blood.

Breazeale then allegedly walked up to the officer and handed over the money saying “he gave me that.” His right hand appeared to have blood on it. The officer secured the defendant and rendered aid to the victim who was unconscious in the store with multiple injuries. The victim was transported by ambulance to an area hospital.

The crime occurred on the Muscogee Nation Reservation.

This matter will proceed in U.S. District Court in Tulsa, where the Complaint is currently pending. A Complaint is a temporary charge alleging a violation of law. For the case to proceed to trial, the United States must present the charge to a federal Grand Jury within 30 days. Once a Grand Jury returns an Indictment, a defendant has a right to a jury trial at which the United States would have the burden of proving the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

The FBI and Sand Springs Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas E. Buscemi and Victor A.S. Régal are prosecuting the case.

 A man who caused an infant's head injury during a domestic violence incident pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Chadwick Andre Young, 34, of Tulsa, admitted to child abuse in Indian Country. Sentencing is set for November 10, 2021.

On Aug. 3, 2019, Young's girlfriend and four children walked to a nearby grocery store. Young was angry at the woman for leaving the apartment and met her as she returned. He approached her, while she was holding an infant, and began punching the woman. She fell to the ground and dropped the child as a result of the assault. The infant's head struck the pavement, and he was rushed to an emergency room via ambulance. The infant suffered a depressed skull fracture, requiring surgery.  The doctor determined the injury was from blunt force trauma. The infant has since recovered.

The child is a citizen of the Muscogee Nation, and the crime occurred within the Muscogee Nation reservation.

The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Reagan V. Reininger is prosecuting the case.

A man who was a fugitive and fled with his girlfriend when Tulsa police officers tried to arrest him pleaded guilty to drug charges today, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Jose Pizana Ruiz, 45, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. In his plea agreement, Ruiz admitted to possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of the drug.

His codefendant Brittany Paige Coffee previously pleaded guilty to the same charge and was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.

On Sept. 17, 2020, Tulsa Police Officers approached Coffee’s vehicle and attempted to arrest fugitive Ruiz, a passenger in the car. In response, Coffee drove out of the parking lot at a high rate of speed, almost running over officers. The vehicle was eventually involved in a collision near 1500 W. Highway 412. Ruiz and Coffee ran from the crash scene but were not apprehended at the time. Officers discovered three firearms in the wrecked vehicle.

Ruiz and Coffee were eventually located at a Tulsa residence in and around a different vehicle parked in the driveway. Officers arrested Coffee in the vehicle. Ruiz was arrested after a brief foot pursuit. Officers found a purse in the vehicle containing Coffee’s Oklahoma identification card as well as a black case containing 585 grams of methamphetamine.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick prosecuted the case.

A man pleaded guilty today in federal court for assaulting a woman with a piece of door trim that had a nail protruding from it, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Robert Joseph Marder, 31, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon in Indian Country. As part of the plea agreement, Marder will serve between 70 and 87 months in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell will determine the final sentence at a hearing scheduled for Nov. 5, 2021.

On May 29, 2020, Marder showed up at a former girlfriend’s home and became aggressive. The woman, accompanied by children, attempted to leave the apartment. The defendant followed her to her car, so she ran back to the apartment and locked the doors. Marder kicked in the door causing the door trim to break. He then exited the apartment but came back through a window and continued the argument. While the victim was holding a three-month old child, Marder picked up a piece of trim with a nail sticking out of it and struck the victim multiple times on her forehead, shoulder and back of the head.

During the assault, the apartment’s security officers heard screaming. After arriving at the apartment, they witnessed Marder striking the victim with the trim. Security detained Marder and called police. The victim was transported to the hospital for treatment.

Marder is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, and the crime occurred within the Muscogee Nation reservation.

The FBI and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin G. Bish and Benjamin D. Hargrove are prosecuting the case.

A Tulsa man pleaded guilty to two counts of child neglect in Indian Country after he left his two children unsupervised for more than four hours, at which time the children gained access to his parked vehicle and died due to extreme heat exposure, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Dustin Lee Dennis, 32, fell asleep on June 13, 2020, only to wake up and discover his two children deceased in the backseat of his pick-up truck. As part of the plea agreement, Dennis and the United States agreed to a sentence between 36 and 72 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan will determine the final sentence at a hearing set for Nov. 10, 2021.

“Dustin Dennis was irresponsible and reckless. He prioritized using cocaine while his young children, Ryan and Tegan, were in his home and failed to protect them from harm,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “My office remains committed to prosecuting perpetrators of child neglect and abuse.”

In his plea agreement, Dennis admitted that while caring for his children on June 12-13, 2020, he got high on cocaine and stayed up playing video games. He fell asleep on June 13, leaving his two children unsupervised. The children entered Dennis’s vehicle in the driveway, were unable to get out of the truck and later died from exposure to extremely high temperatures while being trapped in the truck.

In court, Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina Gilmore outlined the evidence against the defendant. Dennis and his brother discussed purchasing and using cocaine days before the death of the children. On June 12, 2020, his brother indicated that he had the “stuff,” referencing cocaine, and the two could play video games at his home. Dustin later texted his brother that he would have to bring his children since his mother could not take care of them. Dennis then wrote that he was headed to his brother’s house.

Surveillance video showed Dennis and the children returning home just before 1 am on June 13. At 1:03 am, Dennis indicated in a text to his brother that he was turning his game on and later texted that he did a couple of lines and that he hated chopping up cocaine when it’s moist. He indicated he was about to do some more.

Surveillance video later showed Dennis leaving his residence alone at approximately noon for 11 minutes during which time Dennis stated he drove to a QuikTrip. When Dennis returned home from the convenience store, he fell asleep. Surveillance footage showed the two children trying to get into Dennis’ truck at 1:22 p.m. when the vehicle’s alarm went off. They attempted a second time at 1:29 p.m. and successfully gained access to the truck. The video later captured Dennis exiting his apartment and searching for his children approximately four hours later, at 5:32 p.m. Within minutes he discovered the children deceased in the truck.

Three-year-old Ryan and four-year-old Tegan were citizens of the Cherokee Nation. The crime occurred within the boundaries of the Muscogee Nation reservation.

Dustin Dennis and his brother, Michael Dennis, were charged in a superseding indictment, with use of a communication facility in committing, causing, and facilitating the commission of a drug trafficking felony. Michael Dennis is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina Gilmore prosecuted the case.

A former labor union president was sentenced in federal court for embezzling close to $20,000 from the union, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan sentenced Thomas Jerome Burkhart, Jr., 59, of Sapulpa, to three years of probation and ordered him to pay restitution to the labor union in the amount of $19,900. Burkhart pleaded guilty on April 8, 2021, admitting to embezzlement and theft of labor union assets.

“Thomas Burkhart Jr. was trusted by local union members as their president but instead abused his position to steal nearly $20,000 for his own personal use,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The defendant is now a convicted felon and will pay back Steelworkers Local 145 for the funds he embezzled. My office will continue to work with the Office of Labor-Management Standards to ensure corrupt union leaders like Burkhart are held accountable for their crimes.”

The Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) opened an investigation after an internal audit by Steelworkers Local 145 revealed a loss of union funds. OLMS found that, from July 2018 to August 2019, Burkhart embezzled union funds by writing approximately 43 unauthorized checks to himself, resulting in a loss of $19,900 to the local union while he served as president of Steelworkers Local 145, located in Henryetta, Oklahoma, from 2014 through 2019.

“While the vast majority of union officials do their work diligently and without incident, OLMS will continue to work with unions to hold accountable anyone that unlawfully exploits their union position to enrich themselves without regard to the best interests of union members,” said Office of Labor-Management Standards District Director Michelle Hussar in Dallas, Texas. “This sentencing and restitution order sends a clear message that there are consequences for individuals who breach the trust placed in them to be good stewards of union funds.”

The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey A. Gallant and David D. Whipple prosecuted the case.

A Stilwell man faces charges after allegedly sexually assaulting a minor in 2017 near Vinita, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

David Anthony Romannose, 44, was charged by criminal complaint with sexual abuse of a child in Indian Country and aggravated sexual abuse in Indian Country. At a hearing on July 6, U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan E. Huntsman ordered the defendant detained while awaiting trial. Romannose is a citizen of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma.

On July 4, 2017, Romannose accompanied a group who were traveling through northeastern Oklahoma after attending a festival in Seiling. While traveling, according to the affidavit, Romannose allegedly sexually assaulted the victim in the backseat of the vehicle. The violation occurred in Indian Country on the Will Rogers Turnpike/Interstate Highway I-44 near Vinita, in Craig County. The victim told investigators she remembered the group stopping at a rest stop in Vinita shortly after the abuse occurred. Romannose reportedly also abused the minor, an Oneida Indian Nation citizen, after the group arrived home in New York. The victim later disclosed the abuse to a counselor and family member.

A criminal complaint is a temporary charge alleging violation of the law. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. For the case to proceed to trial, the United States must present the charge to a federal Grand Jury within 30 days. Once a Grand Jury returns an Indictment, a defendant has a right to a jury trial at which time the United States would have the burden of proving the defendant’s guilt.

The FBI, Oneida Indian Nation Police Department, and Craig County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina S. Gilmore is prosecuting the case.

A 19-year-old Tulsa man arrested for a series of robberies and carjackings that occurred in Tulsa and Broken Arrow pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. 

In his plea agreement, Tavian Caleb Steward admitted to carjacking, robbery in Indian Country, and two counts of carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

According to Steward, he and an accomplice, Roderick Brooks, acted in concert with one another in carjacking a victim and stealing his Toyota Rav4 in Tulsa on Dec. 30, 2020. Furthermore, Steward brandished a firearm during the crime.  Brooks has also been charged for taking part in the carjacking. He is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Steward also admitted that he entered a Subway restaurant in Tulsa and robbed a cashier at gunpoint on Jan. 7, 2021. According to court documents, Steward then stole the victim’s Chevrolet Monte Carlo and fled the restaurant. Steward was finally taken into custody after he was involved in a hit and run collision on Jan. 10, 2021. He was driving the Monte Carlo when he caused the accident.

Steward is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, and all crimes occurred within the Muscogee Nation Reservation. Steward’s sentencing date is scheduled for October 27, 2021.

The FBI, Tulsa Police Department, and Broken Arrow Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Brasher is prosecuting the case.

Acting United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the July 2021 Federal Grand Jury A.

The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.

John Jacob Ahrens. Threat Against the President of the United States (Count 1). Interstate Communication with a Threat to Injure (Counts 2 and 3). Ahrens, 58, of Tulsa, is charged in Count 1 with threatening to kill the President of the United States. In Count 2, he is charged with generating a threatening email sent to KOTV Channel 6 on June 10, 2021, stating “America is going to get to see a sitting President get his head blown off right in front of them. A kill contract went out on one Joseph Biden, President of the United States of America. America is going to watch him die right in front of them.” In Count 3, he is charged with sending a threatening email on May 10, 2021, stating “I tried to contact you earlier but the Feds shut me down they got a little up tight because I informed the men of the United States Congress if they didn’t hand my money over in less than 48 hours. I will have their children killed. If that doesn’t get the message across. Then I start on their women....” See the initial press release announcing charges by criminal complaint. The U.S. Secret Service, FBI, and Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-00318

Jeremy Quenton Bell. Conveying False and Misleading Information Concerning an Explosive Device (Count 1 and 2). Bell, 41, of Broken Arrow, allegedly sent false information regarding explosive devices to U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK) on April 6, 2021. In the email he stated, “Might want to check your Tulsa office for explosives.” He is also charged with conveying false and misleading information concerning an explosive device to U.S. Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) on May 16, 2021. He reportedly sent the statement, "So now that you have identified as a supporter of Nazism I would advise to check your Michigan offices for explosives. As well as your homes. Also, for the staff it might be best if you distance yourself."  The U.S. Capital Police Threat Assessment Section, Tulsa Police Department’s Bomb Squad, and the FBI are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-00319

Dylan Boyd. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (superseding Indictment). Boyd, 28, of Tulsa, faces charges after using a vehicle to strike a male victim on March 20, 2020. Boyd is a citizen of the Muscogee Nation, and the alleged crime occurred within the Muscogee Nation Reservation. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-00307

Madelyn Abigail Brown. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Count 1 and 2) (superseding indictment). Brown, 27, of Tulsa, reportedly use a knife to stab two male victims in the arm, back, shoulder, and eyebrow on May 10, 2020. Brown is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, and the alleged crime occurred within the Muscogee Nation Reservation. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies. 20-CR-00213

Megan Renee Carney. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Carney, 36, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine on May 20, 2021. The Tulsa Police Department, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, Drug Enforcement Agency, and FBI are the investigative agencies. (21-CR-320)

Brock Deckard. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Count 1) and Child Abuse in Indian Country (Count 2). Deckard, 29, of Twin Oaks, allegedly threatened to harm his girlfriend and her children who were under 18 years of age with a loaded firearm on June 3, 2021. He further endangered the welfare of the children by threatening to harm their safety. The victims are citizens of the Cherokee Nation, and the alleged crime occurred within the Cherokee Nation Reservation. The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office and FBI are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-00310

Josiah Gammill; Hailey Micaela Mace. First Degree Murder in Indian Country (Count 1); Carrying, Using, Brandishin, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (Count 2)  Accessory After the Fact to First Degree Murder in Indian Country (Count 3) and False Statement to a Federal Agency (Count 4 and 5) (superseding). Gammill, 18, of Tulsa, is charged with shooting and killing Hunter Allen Majors on March 21, 2021. He is further charged with carrying and brandishing a firearm during the crime.  See the initial press release announcing charges by criminal complaint. Gammill’s girlfriend, Hailey Mace, 24, of Tulsa, allegedly had knowledge of the crime occurring and failed to notify authorities. She later allegedly made false statements to the investigative agencies regarding Gammill’s alleged involvement in crime. Gammill is a citizen of the Quapaw Nation, and the crimes occurred in the Cherokee Nation Reservation. The victim was a citizen of the Choctaw Nation.  The Craig County Sheriff’s Office, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-00140

Audrey Hop. Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute. Hop, 35, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute 40 grams or more. According to court documents, federal officials discovered more than 270 grams of suspected fentanyl and $30,000 allegedly in her possession on a plane at Jones Riverside Airport on June 23, 2021. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and FBI are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-00321

Kelton Jeffrey Pair. Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling in Indian Country (Count 1), Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner in Indian Country resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury (Count 2), and Kidnapping in Indian Country (Count 3). Pair, 22, of Grove, reportedly assaulted his girlfriend by strangling her, headbutting her in the nose, and threatening to harm her on September 22, 2018. Pair further attempted to confine her to a bedroom before allowing her to seek medical attention. Pair is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, and the alleged crimes occurred within the Cherokee Nation reservation. The Delaware County Sherriff’s Office and FBI are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-00311

Satch Williams. Kidnapping in Indian Country (Count 1) and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Count 2.) Satch Williams, 31, of Grove, is charged with assaulting a female victim in a trailer home located outside of Jay. Williams entered the trailer home and began assaulting the victim with a gold-colored bar. He further used a glass object to strike the victim resulting in significant blood loss. Williams knocked the victim to the ground and began kicking her in the head. He also allegedly placed a metal bar over the victim’s neck when she tried to escape. Williams is a citizen of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokees, and the alleged crimes occurred within the Cherokee Nation Reservation. The FBI and Delaware County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-00312

Ted Roosevelt Yargee. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Count 1 and 3) and Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Suffocating in Indian Country (Count 2) Yargee, 59, of Tulsa, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon after using a pole to strike his girlfriend on April 4, 2018, and after forcefully strangling and suffocating her on Aug. 13, 2018. Further, Yargee also used his automobile to rear end the woman’s vehicle on Oct. 20, 2018. At the time of the third incident, the victim and Yargee were no longer dating. Yargee is a citizen of the Muscogee Nation, and all alleged crimes occurred within the Muscogee Nation Reservation. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.21-CR-00313

A Vinita veterinarian was sentenced in federal court for failing to report an arson and will pay more than $300,000 in restitution to the victims of the crime, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

On Oct. 2, 2016, John Marcotte, 57, accompanied a friend, Thomas Craig Shelton, 40, who set fire to the Yazel Land & Cattle Company building in Vinita. On April 1, 2021, Marcotte pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony, admitting that he knowingly concealed the arson and failed to report the crime to law enforcement.

In his plea agreement, Marcotte stated he was with Shelton, who set the company building on fire. He further stated that in May 2020, Shelton told him that he (Shelton) was under federal investigation concerning the fire and that the two discussed details of the arson and finding legal representation. Marcotte admitted that he failed to contact authorities as soon as possible at the time of the crime and after learning about the federal investigation in 2020. Finally, Marcotte stated that when he learned of the investigation, he tried to conceal the crime by attempting to coordinate details with Shelton about events leading up to the setting of the fire.

Chief U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III sentenced Marcotte to three years of probation. He further ordered the defendant to pay $311,220.43 in restitution to the victims and a fine of $5,000. Judge Heil found that restitution was mandatory, stating that Marcotte pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony and that his failure to report the arson resulted in the victims’ losses. The restitution will be paid by both defendants in the case.

Co-defendant Shelton pleaded guilty on April 22, 2021. In his plea agreement, Shelton admitted that on Oct. 2, 2016, he conspired with John Marcotte to set the Yazel Land & Cattle Company building on fire. Shelton further stated that he and Marcotte retrieved an accelerant, drove together to the building and used the accelerant to start the fire. Shelton stated he knew his actions were wrong and expressed feeling terrible about committing the crime. Shelton will be sentenced on Aug. 31, 2021.

The FBI and the Craig County District Attorney’s Office (District 12) conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert T. Raley and David D. Whipple are prosecuting the case.

A Tulsa man was sentenced today in federal court for coercing a 16-year-old to engage in sexual acts as part of a sex trafficking ring, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Dominique Laron Morgan, 25, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison followed by 25 years supervised release for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and for coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity.

In a blind plea, Morgan admitted that from April 10 through April 20, 2020, he used his phone and internet to knowingly entice the minor victim to engage in prostitution. He also admitted that he knowingly possessed a firearm to further his marijuana distribution activities.

Also charged in the sex trafficking case were Rontaysha Leann Cox, 27, of Wichita, Kansas, and Treveon Marquise Cato, 23, of Tulsa. In March, Cox pleaded guilty to the sex trafficking of children, and Cato pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

On April 17, 2020, officers with the Tulsa Police Department’s Human Trafficking Vice Unit discovered advertisements for the teenager on a website promoting prostitution and soliciting sex acts in exchange for money. An officer, acting as a john, contacted the victim using the phone number listed and arranged to meet her on April 20. During the appointment, the officer revealed his identity, and the minor victim was taken into protective custody.

Officers learned that Rontaysha Cox had rented the room, and that Cox and two other men left the hotel room in a silver sedan shortly before the scheduled appointment. Cox, Cato, and Morgan were later stopped and ordered out of the sedan. A semi-automatic pistol could be seen from outside of the vehicle wedged between the driver’s seat and center console. Officers subsequently arrested the three, and during a search of the vehicle and the occupants, officers recovered marijuana, phones and the firearm.

An analysis of the phones found conversations between Cox, Morgan and the victim discussing prostitution as well as photos of the victim that constituted child pornography. Also found, were conversations between Morgan and the victim where she told him she was 16 years old.

The Tulsa Police Department, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Snow is prosecuting the case.

A drunk driver who killed a woman in a 2019 collision was sentenced today in federal court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Judge Terence C. Kern sentenced Hector Manuel Hernandez, 37, of Tulsa, to 11 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. Hernandez pleaded guilty to second degree murder in March 2021.

In his written plea agreement, Hernandez admitted that he rear-ended a car while driving on South Garnett Road, and as he fled the first accident, hit the victim’s automobile head on. Jennifer Holt died from injuries sustained in the collision. Hernandez had a blood alcohol level of .250. He was also convicted for DUI in Rogers County in 2007.

The Broken Arrow Police Department, FBI and Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Bish prosecuted the case.

A felon who held a woman at knifepoint two days after he was released from prison was sentenced today in federal court, said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Chief U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III sentenced Kuna-Gi Lowe to 70 months in federal prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.

He previously pleaded guilty to attempted robbery in Indian Country and assault with a dangerous weapon in Indian Country.

According to court hearings, after being released from prison on felony charges, the defendant took a bus to Tulsa and began drinking heavily over the next several days. Lowe was out of money on August 29, 2019, when he entered an insurance agency where the victim was working and inquired about “opening an account.” Lowe then grabbed the female victim, pulled out a large knife and demanded money as he asked the victim if she “knew what he could do to her”. The victim pulled out of the defendant’s grasp and told Lowe she was calling the police as she fled to the business next door.  Tulsa police officers located Lowe a short distance away. The victim confirmed Lowe was the assailant, and he was arrested.

The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Lenhardt and Benjamin Hargrove prosecuted the case. Mr. Lenhardt is a prosecutor from the Western District of Pennsylvania, and Mr. Hargrove is a prosecutor from the District of Montana. Both men volunteered to assist prosecution efforts here in the Northern District of Oklahoma due to increased jurisdictional responsibilities regarding crimes involving Native American victims or defendants and that occur within the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and Cherokee Nation Reservations

Acting U.S Attorney Clint Johnson announced that Devin Hartzell, 26, of Catoosa, was sentenced to 108 months after pleading guilty to drug conspiracy. 

In his written plea, Hartzell stated that he conspired with others to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin beginning in January 2018 and continuing until June 2019.  During that time, he admitted to purchasing up to one kilogram of heroin multiple times a week from Jose Garcia and Edson Garcia-Velasquez. He would then redistribute the heroin to third parties who redistributed the drug to others.

Devin Hartzell was among 29 individuals indicted for drug conspiracy and other crimes in the 2019 Operation Smack Dragon, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation.

The Court sentenced Hartzell to 108 months in federal custody and five years supervised release. Judge Claire V. Eagan presided over the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn McCormick prosecuted this case. AUSA McCormick is the Lead Attorney for the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit for the Northern District of Oklahoma.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation in partnership with the U.S. Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigation; the Oklahoma State Attorney General’s Office; and Tulsa Police Department.

A federal jury found a Tulsa man guilty of voluntary manslaughter in Indian Country after killing an Indian man with a knife, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Bradon Kemp, 24, of Tulsa, maliciously killed an Indian man by stabbing him in the head, neck, and torso with a knife on August 4, 2020.

“Bradon Kemp will now be held responsible for his violent criminal behavior. My office takes seriously its special trust responsibility to prosecute violent crimes in Indian Country. I’m extremely proud of the FBI and Tulsa Police Department as well as Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Briden and Ed Snow for their tireless preparation and successful prosecution of Mr. Kemp in federal court,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint  Johnson.

On August 4, 2020, Tulsa Police Department officers responded to a 911 call involving a stabbing at an apartment complex. Kemp and the victim both lived within the same apartment complex. Kemp approached the Indian man through an upstairs landing outside two separate apartment units. He began attacking the male victim with a knife starting on the landing and traveling down the stairs to the sidewalk. Upon landing on the sidewalk, Kemp continued to stab the victim. The victim suffered 12 fatal stab wounds.

Another resident of the apartment complex observed the altercation and intervened to stop Kemp from fleeing the crime scene. Kemp stayed until officers arrived and took him into custody. Officers discovered the deceased victim lying next to Kemp’s knife on the sidewalk.

The victim was a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and the crime occurred within the Muscogee Nation Reservation.

The FBI and Tulsa Police Department served as the investigative agencies. Judge Claire V. Eagan presided over the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Briden and Ed Snow prosecuted the case.   Braden Bennet Kemp will be sentenced on October 5, 2021.

A Grand Jury in the Northern District of Oklahoma has charged a former dependent of an United States Armed Forces member with two counts of receipt and distribution of an obscene visual presentation of sexual abuse of a minor child under the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act (MEJA), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clinton J. Johnson.

On Thursday, June 24, 2021, Derek Ray Flaming, 35, of Salina, Oklahoma, appeared for his initial appearance in the Northern District of Oklahoma on two counts of Receipt and Distribution of an Obscene Visual Representation of Sexual Abuse of Children in violation of 18 U.S.C. Sections 1466A(a)(1) and 3261(a)(1).   

“My office is committed to protecting minor children from all manner of alleged abuse, neglect, and exploitation,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clinton J. Johnson. “Derek Flaming has been charged with knowingly receiving and distributing an obscene picture of a minor child engaging in  sexually explicit conduct while residing in South Korea with a member of the United States Armed Forces.”

According to the indictment, during 2016 and 2017, Flaming was the dependent of an United States Armed Forces member stationed at United State Army Garrison (USAG) – Youngsan, within the Republic of Korea.  During this time, Flaming received and later distributed an image depicting a minor child engaged in sexually explicit conduct.    

MEJA gives U.S. courts jurisdiction to prosecute crimes committed outside the United States by, among others, dependents of United States Armed Forces Dependents residing with members of the armed forces stationed outside the United States.    

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

An indictment is a charging instrument alleging violation of the law. Defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 

The case was investigated by the Army Criminal Investigative Command, the CEOS High Technology Investigative Unit, U.S. Marshals’ Northern Oklahoma Violent Crime Task Force and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by CEOS Trial Attorney Ralph Paradiso and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Jolly of the Northern District of Oklahoma.

Acting United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the June 2021 Federal Grand Jury B.

The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.

Rocky Carmello Breck. Kidnapping in Indian Country (Count 1), Obstruction of Justice by Threatening Physical Force Against a Witness (Count 2), Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Count 3), Carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence (Count 4), Witness tampering (Count 5 – 9). Breck, 25, of Broken Arrow, allegedly attempted to kidnap a female victim on June 6, 2021. He furthered brandished a firearm and used it to assault the victim by hitting her in the head. Breck reportedly used physical force or the threat of physical force against the victim to prevent communication to law enforcement. Breck is a citizen of the Muscogee Nation, and the alleged crime occurred within the Muscogee Nation Reservation. The FBI and Broken Arrow Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Jarrett Brooks. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Brooks, 25, of Tulsa, faces federal charges after using a loaded firearm to strike a male victim across the jaw on May 21,2021. This crime occurred within the Muscogee Nation Reservation. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Ethan Michael Ciccone. Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force and Threat in Indian Country (Count 1) and First Degree Burglary in Indian Country (Count 2). Ciccone, 25, of Vinita, allegedly broke into the house of a female victim on June 7, 2021. Upon entering the house, he engaged in sexual acts using force and threatening the victim. Ciccone is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, and the alleged crime occurred within the Cherokee Nation Reservation. The FBI and Vinita Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Jason Sun Bear Costes. Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country (Count 1), Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Count 2), and Robbery in Indian Country (Count 3). Costes, 21, of Sand Springs, faces federal charges after using an axe to assault a male victim on July 2, 2016. He is further alleged to have taken an automobile, wallet, and credit card by force after the axe attack. Costes is a citizen of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, and the alleged crime occurred within the Muscogee Nation Reservation. Costes committed the crime as a juvenile. The FBI and Sand Springs Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Brittiny Linn Dick.  Sexual Exploitation of a Child (Count 1); Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor (Count 2). On May 7, 2012, Dick, 30, of Vinita, is alleged to have enticed and coerced a young child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child sexual abuse material, also known as child pornography. The alleged crimes occurred within the Cherokee Reservation. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Jason Lenn Dufoe. First Degree Burglary in Indian Country. Dufoe, 42, of Bartlesville, broke into a home by opening a door and window to enter. It is alleged Dufoe had the intent to commit crime. Dufoe is a non-Indian, and the crime occurred within the Cherokee Nation Reservation. The FBI and Bartlesville Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Gabriel Escobedo-Escalera. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Ebscobedo-Escalera, 22, an alien, was founded in the United States after deportation from Paso Del Norte, Texas, on August 17, 2019. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation.

Christopher W. Harjo. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Harjo, 24, of Tulsa, is charged with assaulting a victim by stabbing him with a sharp object. Harjo is a citizen of the Muscogee Nation, and the alleged crime occurred within the Muscogee Nation Reservation. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Zachary Ray Harris. Arson in Indian Country. Harris, 27, faces federal charges after reportedly set a building on fire in Tulsa on May 30, 2021. Harris is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, and the alleged crime occurred within the Muscogee Nation Reservation.  The Tulsa Fire Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.

Allan Michael Hunter. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Count 1); Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number (Count 2). Hunter, 30, allegedly assaulted an individual by pointing a firearm at the victim on June 21, 2021. Additionally, Hunter possessed a Jiminez Arms 9mm semi-automatic pistol with an altered and obliterated serial number. The defendant is a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation, and the alleged crime occurred within the Muscogee Nation. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Zatayvia Johnson. Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country. Johnson, 19, of Tulsa, faces federal charges for shooting a victim with a firearm with intent to commit murder on March 31, 2021. The defendant is non-Indian, and the alleged crime occurred within the Muscogee Nation Reservation. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Johnie Bernell Looney. Kidnapping in Indian Country (Count 1) and Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Suffocating in Indian Country (Count 2). Looney, 41, of Tulsa, unlawfully seized and kidnapped a female victim, his former intimate partner, on May 16, 2021. He is further charged with assaulting the female victim by strangulation. Looney is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, and the alleged crime occurred within the Cherokee Nation Reservation. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation.

Darian Resean Morris. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Count 1) and Kidnapping in Indian Country (Count 2). Morris, 27, of Tulsa, faces charges after unlawfully seizing and kidnapped a Muscogee female victim on June 3, 2021. He reportedly used a knife to cause bodily harm and admitted his intent to kill her. Morris is non-Indian, and the alleged crime occurred within the Muscogee Nation Reservation. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Earl Hardy Morrow and Kory Edwin Morrow. Distribution and Receipt of Child Pornography.(Counts 1 and 2); Possession of Child Pornography (Count 3) (superseding).  From Feb. 20 to Feb. 27, 2020, Early Morrow, 39, of Broken Arrow, allegedly distributed and received child sexual abuse material.  From Nov. 5, 2019 to Feb. 27, 2020, Kory Morrow, 41, of Broken Arrow, allegedly distributed and received child sexual abuse material. Both men are also charged with possessing child sexual abuse material, including images involving at least one prepubescent minor and a minor who had not attained 12 years of age from Nov. 5, 2019 to Feb. 27, 2020. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

David Mitchell Myall. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Myall, 40, of Salina, is charged with assaulting a victim with a knife on May 21, 2021. Mitchell is non-Indian, and the alleged crimes occurred on the Cherokee Nation Reservation. The FBI and Salina Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Roberto Carlos Rosales-Rojas. Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.  Rosales-Rojas, 32, was found in the United States after having been deported on Nov. 6, 2012, near Calexico, California. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Tulsa Police Department is the investigative agency.

Chloe Louise Stith; David William Morris; Breanna Lynn Sloan; Morgan Lee Bowman; Sarah Michelle Humbard; Megan Louise Detherage; Ariel Sue Paige Divine. Tampering with a Witness, Victim, and Informant Conspiracy (Count 1);Tampering with a Witness, Victim, and Informant by Threatening Physical Force (Counts 2-6); Tampering with a Witness, Victim, and Informant by Use of Physical Force (Counts 7-10); Tampering with Documents and Proceedings by Corruptly Altering, Destroying, Mutilating, and Concealing a Record, Document, and Other Object (Count 11) (second superseding). The defendants all reside in Missouri. Stith, 21, of Carthage; Morris, 33; Sloan, 22, of Joplin; Bowman, 25; Humbard, 24, of Joplin; Detherage, 27, of Joplin; and Divine, 29, of Webb City, are charged with conspiring with one another and others to tamper with witnesses/informants by threatening the use force and actually using force (assault and kidnapping) to prevent those individuals from communicating with law enforcement officials about the murder of Jolene Campbell Walker, a citizen of the Osage Nation. Ms. Walker was initially reported missing, and on July 15, 2020, her remains were discovered in Mayes County within the Muscogee Nation Reservation. Several defendants also allegedly altered and destroyed evidence with the intent to impair its integrity and availability for use in an official proceeding. The defendants carried out their conspiracy from July 5, 2020 through the date of the superseding indictment, June 23, 2021. The indictment goes on to charge defendants with specific offenses each carried out as part of the conspiracy. The FBI, Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Kailee Sweezy. Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Suffocating in Indian Country. Sweezy, 20, of Bartlesville, is charged with strangling and attempting to strangle an intimate partner on June 9, 2021. Sweezy is a non-Indian, and the alleged crime occurred within the Cherokee Nation Reservation. The FBI and Bartlesville Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Wayne Harley White. Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country (Count 1); Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country (Count 2). Between January 15, 2011 and April 3, 2012, White, 56, allegedly sexually abused a victim between the ages of 12 and 16 years of age. White is non-Indian, and the alleged crimes were committed within the Cherokee Nation Reservation. The FBI and Delaware County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies.

A federal jury found a Tulsa couple guilty Wednesday for enabling and committing acts of child abuse against an Indian minor, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

The jury convicted Craig Allan Morrison, 37, of two counts of child abuse in Indian Country and Amanda Lyn Walker, 42, with two counts of enabling child abuse in Indian Country.  During the trial the jury received evidence describing two separate instances of child abuse involving a then three-year-old child. 

The first incident took place on or about December 20, 2019, when other family members observed and photographed a hand-shaped bruise on the child’s face.    The second incident took place on or about February 18, 2020, when the child victim was taken to the Saint Francis Hospital Pediatric Emergency Room with injuries to the child’s head, back, shoulder, abdomen, buttocks, and leg.   Laboratory testing showed elevated liver enzymes and elevated amylase.   A pediatrician who treated the victim testified these laboratory tests indicated liver and pancreatic injuries and that the child’s injuries were caused by child abuse. These crimes took place within the Muskogee Nation Reservation.  Tulsa Police Department later interviewed the couple and charged them with child abuse.

“Because of the team of committed investigators and prosecutors, Craig Morrison and Amanda Walker have been brought to justice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “It is heartbreaking when children suffer abuse at the hands of individuals who they should be able to trust for their care.  My office and our law enforcement partners remain committed to prosecuting perpetrators of child abuse in Indian Country.”

Judge Heil presided over the trial. Walker and Morrison will be sentenced on January 24 2022.

The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melody Noble Nelson and Chantelle Dial prosecuted the case.

A federal jury today convicted a Broken Arrow man of sexually abusing two children under the age of 12, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Jeffrey Arch Jones, 31, was found guilty of two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child in Indian Country and one count of abusive sexual contact of a child in Indian Country. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell presided over the trial and set sentencing for Oct. 15, 2021.

“Make no mistake, Jeffrey Jones is a child sexual predator,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Today’s conviction ensures Jones will no longer be able to harm another child while he is in federal prison. I want to thank the two young victims who bravely testified at trial and confronted Jeffery Jones with his actions.”

Jones, a Cherokee citizen, was previously convicted of sexually abusing the two victims in Tulsa County District Court but appealed his conviction, arguing the state did not have jurisdiction to prosecute the case because the crime occurred within the Muscogee Nation Reservation and he was a tribal citizen. The case was then prosecuted in federal court.

From Sept. 29, 2015 to Sept 28, 2016, Jones sexually abused a young child. He also sexually abused a second child from Oct. 9, 2014 to Sept. 30, 2016.

On Feb. 2, 2017, one of the victims disclosed to a teacher that the defendant had been touching her in a sexual manner. School officials contacted the Broken Arrow Police Department. During the ensuing investigation, it was determined the second child was also sexually abused by Jones.

Today, in closing arguments, Assistant U.S. Attorney Reagan Reininger reminded the jury of the testimony of expert witnesses, law enforcement, and the victims. She assured the jury the children had no incentive to lie and that the medical evidence corroborated the type of sexual abuse reported by the victims. She described how their behavior and disclosures were similar to that seen in other child sexual abuse victims. She explained how some victims disclose abuse on their own when they are ready, but others may be asked about abuse before they are fully ready to disclose what happened to them, as in the case of the second victim. She explained how difficult it had been for the two victims to describe the abuse to others repeatedly since 2017, including this week in court. Finally, Reininger reminded the jury that child sexual abuse is perpetrated in secrecy, behind closed doors, in moments when the abuser is alone with a child. She asked the jury to evaluate the evidence, including the children’s accounts, and to find Jeffrey Jones guilty.

The jury deliberated nearly two hours before returning guilty verdicts on all three counts.

“Today’s conviction was a result of the diligent work performed by agents and officers of the FBI and Broken Arrow Police Department as well as Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reagan Reininger and Leah Paisner. I appreciate their dedication to protecting children,” Johnson said.

A federal jury today found a Tulsa man guilty of eight felony drug and firearms crimes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Corey Shamon McKinney, 44, was convicted of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition; possession of heroin with intent to distribute; possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute; possession of marijuana with intent to distribute; maintaining a drug-involved premises (2 counts); possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes; and possession of an unregistered silencer. McKinney, an 8-time convicted felon in Tulsa County District Court, was previously convicted of drug, firearms, and robbery offenses.

“Corey McKinney is a felon with a history of drug dealing and firearm offenses. The jury has spoken, and McKinney was found guilty as charged,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.  “The drug trafficking trade harms communities in northern Oklahoma and will not be tolerated. Today’s result is a direct reflection of the dedication of the Tulsa Police Department, ATF and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in investigating and prosecuting prohibited gun possessors who traffic in drugs. I applaud Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Morgan and Edward Snow whose work led to McKinney’s conviction.”

On Nov. 20, 2019, and on Jan. 9, 2020, the Tulsa Police Department’s Crime Gun Unit and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives executed search warrants at McKinney’s residence. During those searches, officers found marijuana, methamphetamine, and heroin for distribution. Also found was nearly $6,000 in cash, numerous ziploc-style baggies and a digital scale, all indicative of drug trafficking. Furthermore, law enforcement discovered a Sarsilmaz 9 mm Luger caliber semi-automatic pistol, a Sig Sauer .22 caliber semi-automatic rifle, 114 rounds of associated ammunition, and a silencer that was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.

U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan presided over the trial.

The Tulsa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Morgan and Edward Snow prosecuted the case.

A Tulsa man has been arrested and charged for sending threatening emails to KOTV Channel 6 directed at President Joseph Biden, unnamed members of the Congress, and their families, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

John Jacobs Ahrens, 58, was charged in federal court Monday by Criminal Complaint with making threats against the President.

“John Ahrens allegedly sent a series of emails to Newson6 threatening to murder the President, members of Congress, and their families if he did not receive money,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Making online threats to murder public officials and their families has consequences. The arrest and filing of criminal charges is the first step in holding individuals accountable for their alleged actions.”

According to the affidavit, an executive producer from the station contacted the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center to report the threatening emails dated between May and June 2021.

In his messages, Ahrens demanded money, and if it wasn’t sent, he allegedly wrote that he would kill the President, members of Congress, and their families.

On May 10, 2021, Ahrens sent a message stating, “Please go to my Facebook page and read what I sent to the men of the United States Congress. They have less than 48 hours to hand over my money or their children will start dying all over the country. I’m going to kill their children using the same law as the Government used to force our families on to the Trail of Tears.”

In a June 17 message, he wrote “You have until Monday morning 8:00 am sharp to hand a check over to the State of Oklahoma, the Muscogee Nation and my family in accordance with a signed agreement as set forth in the Treaty of 1866.”

Other messages included “America is going to get to see a sitting President get his head blown off right in front of them” and “…your families will start dying. After that is over, I’m going to come back here one more time and tell you to hand over my money.”

Ahrens was arrested at his Tulsa residence on June 18, 2021, by agents of the FBI and Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and task for officers with the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. Ahrens allegedly admitted to sending the emails to KOTV during questioning.

A Complaint is a temporary charge alleging violation of the law. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. For the case to proceed to trial, the United States must present the charge to a federal Grand Jury within 30 days. Once a Grand Jury returns an Indictment, a defendant has a right to a jury trial at which time the United States would have the burden of proving the defendant’s guilt.

The U.S. Secret Service, FBI, and Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick is prosecuting the case.

 A Tulsa man was sentenced today in federal court for sexually abusing a minor, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan sentenced Oscar Manuel Cabrera-Westerheidy, 37, of Tulsa, to 11 years in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for abusive sexual contact with a minor under 12 years of age in Indian Country and abusive sexual contact with a minor between 12 and 16 years of age in Indian Country. The Court further recommended he receive drug abuse and sex offender treatment while in prison.

Cabrera-Westerheidy admitted that from January 2011 through August 2020, he sexually abused a child. The victim disclosed the abuse to a parent out of concern that the defendant was caring for other children.

The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chantelle D. Dial prosecuted the case. Ms.Dial is a prosecutor from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Washington. She volunteered to assist prosecution efforts here in the Northern District of Oklahoma due to increased jurisdictional responsibilities regarding crimes involving Native American victims or defendants and that occur within the Muscogee Nation and Cherokee Nation Reservations.

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

A Tulsa man pleaded guilty today to receipt of child pornography after his state conviction was vacated due to lack of jurisdiction, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Matthew Steven Janson, 37, knowingly used the internet to receive child pornography from April 18, 2016 to May 25, 2016.

According to the plea agreement, Janson admitted to possessing at least 600 images of child sexual abuse including the abuse of prepubescent minors who had not attained 12 years of age. The materials were possessed and knowingly accessed via Janson’s computer and within the Muscogee Nation Reservation. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell set sentencing for Oct. 15, 2021.

Janson is an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation. Janson’s state conviction was vacated due to the Supreme Court’s ruling in McGirt v. Oklahoma. He previously pleaded guilty in state court and was sentenced to 10 years with 5 years suspended.

The Tulsa Police Department, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements’ Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cymetra M. Williams is prosecuting the case. Ms. Williams is a prosecutor from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of New Jersey. She volunteered to assist prosecution efforts here in the Northern District of Oklahoma due to increased jurisdictional responsibilities regarding crimes involving Native American victims or defendants and that occur within the Muscogee Nation and Cherokee Nation Reservations.

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

A Drumright man was sentenced today in federal court for stealing $401, 146 worth of funds and oil and gas products from his former employer, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan sentenced David Owen West, 59, to 21 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Eagan further ordered West to pay restitution in the amount of $401, 146 to Petco Petroleum. West previously pleaded guilty to two counts of mail fraud and one count of money laundering. The defendant will self-surrender on Aug. 4, 2021.

“David West ran two criminal schemes against his employer, Petco Petroleum, and pocketed more than $400,000 worth of stolen money and product,” said Acting U.S Attorney Clint Johnson. “West’s criminal acts and deceit finally caught up with him. This convicted felon will spend nearly two years in federal prison thanks to the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles McLoughlin, the special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation and the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office Asset Forfeiture investigator Don Shoemake, and retired FBI special agent Daniel Risner.”

“I am very proud of the hard work and effort of the women and men of the IRS-Criminal Investigation, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office who contributed to the successful prosecution of this individual that culminated in today’s sentencing,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Mark Pearson, Dallas Field Office. “Mr. West stole nearly a half-a-million dollars from a company that trusted and relied on him. He lied and betrayed their trust for his own personal gain warranting the punishment for his crimes.”

West carried out his schemes at Petco Petroleum, an Illinois oil and gas company where he was employed for nearly 30 years. In one scheme, West produced and submitted to Petco Petroleum fraudulent invoices for services that were never rendered, totaling $129,038, which his employer paid in full and West pocketed. In a second scheme, West hired trucks to haul oil stolen from his employer’s oil leases to a reclaimer who then paid him $266,802 for the oil. Then West charged Petco Petroleum for the transport costs of their own stolen oil.

As field supervisor and oilfield pumper working in Oklahoma for Petco Petroleum (Petco), West checked wells to ensure they were properly functioning and to gauge oil production as well as selected vendors from which the company would purchase products or services needed to operate the wells. In order to be paid by Petco, vendors submitted invoices and documentation for goods or services provided to the company for West’s review and approval. West then mailed the approved invoices to Petco each month to be included in the company’s monthly accounts payable run.

In early 2015, West acquired a property in Drumright, Oklahoma, and on Oct. 27, 2015, legally registered Flash Electric Services, LLC, using the address in Drumright, with the Oklahoma Secretary of State. Flash was used as part of West’s scheme to defraud his employer. From September 2015 to December 2016, West included 116 fraudulent invoices from Flash, totaling $129,038.00, in the monthly documents mailed to Petco for alleged electrical services that were never performed on the company’s Oklahoma oil wells. Based on these invoices, Petco mailed 15 separate checks via the U.S. Mail to Flash in Drumright to pay for the alleged services. All payments from Petco to Flash were subsequently deposited into bank accounts which West controlled.      

In addition to the Flash false invoice scheme, West arranged for approximately 50 loads of Petco’s oil to be transported by Lightning Tank Truck and Independent Trucking to U.S. Oil Reclaimers, Inc. West sold and had delivered approximately $266,802 worth of stolen oil to the reclaimer. West directed the company to issue payment to either himself or Flash Services and personally picked up the checks. He then forwarded to his employer invoices for payment from both trucking companies for the cost of the transportation of the stolen Petco oil, totaling $5,306. After West approved the trucking invoices to be paid, Petco issued and mailed checks to both trucking companies.

IRS-Criminal Investigation led the investigation with assistance from the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. McLoughlin prosecuted the case.

 A Tulsa woman was sentenced in federal court for attacking a man with a knife during a domestic violence situation, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan sentenced Sharilyn Rose Browning, 31, to 37 months in federal prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. Browning previously pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon in Indian Country.

On July 31, 2020, Browning, a White Mountain Apache citizen, attacked her boyfriend using a kitchen knife. According to court documents, Browning was intoxicated when the victim arrived at their home. The couple began arguing and Browning stabbed and sliced the male victim resulting in lacerations to his arm and head. The victim received over 200 stitches for his injuries. The crime occurred within the Muscogee Nation Reservation.

In her written plea agreement, Browning admitted that she had intent to do bodily harm when she assaulted a male victim with a knife by stabbing him on July 31, 2020.

The Tulsa Police Department and the FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Fletcher prosecuted the case. AUSA Fletcher is a prosecutor from the Northern District of Iowa. He volunteered to assist prosecution efforts here in the Northern District of Oklahoma due to increased jurisdictional responsibilities regarding crimes involving Native American victims or defendants and that occur within the Muscogee Nation and Cherokee Nation Reservations.

A Seminole Citizen pleaded guilty today in federal court for shooting and killing a man as he tried to flee from the defendant, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

“Defendant Anthony Ahaisse was enraged and acted callously when he pulled the trigger and took Gregory Collins’ life in 2019,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This murder case is heartbreaking, and my thoughts today are with Mr. Collins’ friends and loved ones. I am thankful for the joint investigative and prosecutorial work of the Tulsa Police Department, FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dennis Fries and Rick Cella that helped ensure Ahaisse was brought to justice.”

Ahaisse, 30, of Tulsa, pleaded guilty to second degree murder.  If the Court accepts the parties’ plea agreement at sentencing, Ahaisse will receive 420 months in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan set sentencing for Oct. 4, 2021.

In his written plea agreement, Ahaisse admitted to murdering Gregory Collins on March 23, 2019, just after 12 am. According to a criminal complaint initially filed in the case, a witness to the crime reported that the victim heard a loud noise outside the home and went to investigate. The victim then ran back to a bedroom and tried to hide under the bed. The woman saw Ahaisse, her ex-boyfriend, enter the room and shoot twice under the bed, striking the victim. The defendant then exited the room.

At approximately 12:20 am, a Tulsa police officer observed a white pickup traveling at a high rate of speed. When the officer attempted to stop the pickup, the driver continued recklessly. Eventually, the driver stopped and was taken into custody and identified as Anthony Ahaisse. The officer observed blood on the defendant’s clothing and discovered a loaded Glock 22 and a shotgun. The Glock recovered from the vehicle was later found to match the ballistics from the crime scene.

The Tulsa Police Department and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis Fries and Richard Cella prosecuted the case.

An alleged drug dealer and three postal carriers face charges for a methamphetamine drug conspiracy that was carried out using the U.S. postal system, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Kamau Jahi Williams, 42; Erick Scott, 49; Christine Conner, 54, all of Tulsa; and Shawn Boike, 46, of Skiatook, with drug conspiracy. The indictment was unsealed today after the defendants made initial appearances in federal court. Starting as early as December 2019, the defendants allegedly conspired to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.

“Methamphetamine remains one of the most abused and dangerous drugs in Oklahoma,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Those who participate in the distribution of methamphetamine in our communities, including federal employees, will be held accountable under the law. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn McCormick, lead attorney for the district’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, will prosecute this case for the United States.”

“All federal government employees hold the public’s trust to execute their job with the utmost integrity and responsibility,” said Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge, Eduardo A. Chavez, who oversees all DEA operations in Oklahoma.  “When that is broken, they must be held accountable, and DEA Tulsa will stand firm to ensure public service puts our communities’ safety first.”

Williams allegedly ran the conspiracy in the Northern District of Oklahoma with the support of three Tulsa postal workers from the Apache Street Post Office. As part of the conspiracy, Williams’ source of supply in California mailed shipments of methamphetamine to an abandoned Tulsa address through the U.S. Postal Service. Postal carriers Scott, Boike and Conner allegedly intercepted those packages. As part of the conspiracy, the employees marked the packages as delivered and would then meet Williams at various locations in Tulsa to deliver the methamphetamine packages. Williams would allegedly send payment for the drugs to the California source of supply and also distribute the drug.

“The vast majority of U.S. Postal Service employees would never dream of violating the public trust in this manner. But for those who do, the USPS Office of Inspector General, along with our state and federal law enforcement partners, will aggressively investigate egregious misconduct such as this,” said Special Agent in Charge Scott Pierce, Southern Area Field Office. “These arrests are a testament to the dedication and determination of the investigative team and should send a strong message to anyone who might participate in this sort of activity.”

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn McCormick is prosecuting the case.

A Muscogee Citizen faces assault charges in U.S. District Court for repeatedly rear-ending a woman’s car with his automobile during a 2018 domestic violence incident, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Ted Roosevelt Yargee, 59, was charged by Criminal Complaint with assault with a dangerous weapon in Indian Country. The alleged crime occurred within the Muscogee Nation Reservation. The United States and the Muscogee Nation have jurisdiction over all cases that occur on the reservation involving Native American victims or defendants.

On October 20, 2018, Yargee followed the woman to a QuikTrip gas station located at 71st and Olympia, in Tulsa. According to court documents, Yargee used his vehicle to ram the back of her vehicle at the station. He then blocked the victim’s driver side door with his vehicle, making it difficult to exit her own., and made multiple demands of the woman.

As the victim departed QuikTrip, Yargee followed her eastwards on 71st street. Yargee again rammed the back of the victim’s vehicle until arriving at the stoplight at 71st and Riverside. He then pulled along the side of the victim’s vehicle causing damage to the side of her vehicle. The victim called 911, and Yargee began verbally assaulting and threatening her. Yargee could allegedly be heard through the 911 dispatch radio yelling and making threats. Yargee is also alleged to have brandished a baseball bat.

A Tulsa police officer arrived at the intersection of 71st and Riverside to investigate the ongoing situation. The officer observed Yargee’s vehicle pull away from the side of the victim’s vehicle to ram into the front of her vehicle. Yargee then fled the scene but pulled over when the officer initiated a stop. At that time, a wooden bat was found in Yargee’s vehicle and he was taken into custody.

A Complaint is a temporary charge alleging violation of the law. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. For the case to proceed to trial, the United States must present the charge to a federal Grand Jury within 30 days. Once a Grand Jury returns an Indictment, a defendant has a right to a jury trial at which time the United States would have the burden of proving the defendant’s guilt.

The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Childress is prosecuting the case.

A man who was a self-described father figure, youth pastor, and Cub and Boy Scouts volunteer has been indicted by a federal grand jury this week for sexually abusing five children, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Joe Cheater Jr., 48, formerly of Porter, was charged with three counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor by force and threat in Indian Country, aggravated sexual abuse in Indian Country, abusive sexual contact with a minor in Indian country, and coercion and enticement of a minor in Indian Country.

Cheater Jr. was charged in federal court in anticipation that his state conviction could be overturned. On Thursday, Cheater’s appeal was stayed for approximately 30 days in Rogers County District Court. At that time, the Court will determine which entity has criminal jurisdiction over the case. The defendant is currently serving his state sentence in an Oklahoma Department of Corrections facility.

As the U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to prepare, anyone with information about the crimes or who may have been sexually abused by the defendant are encouraged to contact Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey Todd at 918-382-2791.

Cheater Jr. had children approximately the same ages as the victims, and it was common for neighborhood children to be present or have sleepovers at his home. Known victims were sexually assaulted starting in 2005 while others were abused as late as 2009. Some victims were younger than 12-years-old when they were victimized.

The FBI and Rogers County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey Todd is prosecuting the case.

Acting United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the June 2021 Federal Grand Jury A.

The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.

Blaine Joseph Adams. Child Abuse in Indian Country; Child Neglect in Indian Country. Adams, 29, of Dewey, is charged with abusing, injuring, a young child. He is also charged with failing to provide adequate nurturance and affection, food, clothing, shelter, sanitation, hygiene, appropriate education, medical, dental, and behavioral health for the child. The FBI is the investigative agency 21-CR-276

Jesus Aguirre. Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country; Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country. From April 23 to 24, 2021, Aguirre, 42, allegedly sexually assaulted the victim and strangled her until she was unconscious. The FBI and Sapulpa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-260

Farron Whitney Alberty. First Degree Murder in Indian Country; Causing Death by Using and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. On May 19, 2005, Alberty, 36, of Cushing, allegedly shot Jamiah Tinnel, killing him.  He is further charged with discharging a firearm during and in relation to crimes of violence- first degree murder and second degree murder in Indian Country. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-277

Samantha Jo Bryant. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country; Production of Child Pornography.  Bryant, 31, of Glenpool, is charged with sexually abusing a female child under the age of 12 from December 2012 to January 2013. She is further charged with engaging in the sexual abuse of the child for the purpose of producing child sexual abuse material. Bryant transmitted the sexual abuse material via Skype and through email. The FBI is the investigative agency. 21-CR-261

Justin Wayne Burke. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Burke, 34, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Winchester 12-gauge shotgun and ammunition. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-248

Joe Don Cato. Robbery in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Cato, 39, of Tulsa, is charged with using force and intimidation when he took a ride share driver’s cell phone, money and automobile keys on Aug. 30, 2019. He is further charged with brandishing a firearm during the robbery, and with being a felon in possession of a Star (Bonifcio Echeverria) 9 mm pistol and a Walther 9 mm pistol. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21- CR-278

Kenneth Randall Chandler. First Degree Felony Murder in Indian Country. Chandler, 53, of Hominy, is charged with aiding and abetting another when he killed Wanda Neafus by shooting her multiple times during a burglary on Dec. 6, 1991. Ms. Neafus was a housekeeper at the residence. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-267

Joe Cheater Jr. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor by Force and Threat in Indian Country (Counts 1-3);  Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country (Count 4); Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country (Count 5); Coercion and Enticement of a Minor in Indian Country (Count 6). From Jan. 1, 2005, to Dec. 31, 2005, Cheater Jr., 48, of Porter, allegedly sexually abused a minor between the ages of 12 and 16. On another occasion, from Jan. 1, 2009, to Dec. 31, 2009, he sexually abused the victim again. (Counts 1 &4). He also allegedly sexually abused a second victim, between the ages of 12 and 16, from Jan. 1, 2006, to Dec. 31, 2007 (Count 2). He is further alleged to have sexually abused a third victim, a minor under 12-years-old, from June 1, 2009, to Sept. 1, 2009 (Count 3).  Cheater is further charged with directly touching a fourth victim, a minor under 12, in a sexual manner from June 1, 2008, to Sept. 1, 2008. Finally, Cheater is charged with coercing and enticing a fifth victim, a minor under 18, to engage in sexual activity from June 1, 2008, to Sept. 1, 2008. Cheater was involved with Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, was a youth pastor, and acted like he was father figure. The FBI and Rogers County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-268

Dominique Rashad Delonia. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Delonia, 32, of Tulsa, knowingly failed to register as a sex offender from Dec. 10, 2020, to March 12, 2021. The U.S. Marshals Service and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-262

Joshua Duane Fort. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Fort, 41, of Tulsa, allegedly shot a male victim on June 23, 2018, in a road-rage incident. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-249

Christopher Frederick. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Frederick, 70, of Tulsa, is charged with failing to register as a sex offender from Sept. 12, 2020, to May 2, 2021. The U.S. Marshals Service and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-263

John Samuel Garrison. Child Abuse in Indian Country. Garrison, 56, of Vinita, is charged with 2 counts of abusing a minor from April 1, 2020, to April 15, 2020. Garrison allegedly hit the child in the back with a board multiple times. In a second incident, he grabbed the minor violently and shoved the child into a bookcase. The FBI and Vinita Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-280

Jimmy Allen Grammar III. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country (Counts 1-5). Grammar III, 31, of Broken Arrow, is charged with sexually abusing a child under 12 from March 10, 2008, to March 11, 2011 (Counts 1-3). He is further charged with sexually abusing a second victim under 12 from May 2, 2008, to May 2, 2009 (Counts 4-5). The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.  21-CR-264

Philip Hudson Jr. Child Abuse in Indian Country. Hudson Jr., 32, of Tulsa, is charged with abusing a minor by striking the child with a board and repeatedly tasing his body from Feb. 19, 2013 to Feb. 21, 2013. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-280

Tori Lynn Lasley; Peyton Drew Keele. Robbery in Indian Country. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Lasley, 23, of Sand Springs, and Keele, 31, of Tryon, allegedly stabbed a man when they robbed him on May 28, 2018. Items stolen from the victim’s home included jewelry, a wallet, a cell phone, and his car. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-250

Michael Adam Lindsey. Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Child Abuse in Indian Country. Lindsey, 36, of Sand Springs, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Jennings .22 caliber pistol and ammunition. On April 29, 2018, Lindsey allegedly fired multiple rounds through the door of a home, striking a woman in her left arm. He also pushed down a minor victim during an argument prior to the shooting. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Sand Springs Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-269

Anthony Lamont Mason II. Second Degree Burglary in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Assault of a Former Intimate and Dating Partner by Strangling, Suffocating, and Attempting to Strangle and Suffocate in Indian Country; First Degree Burglary in Indian Country. Mason II, 27, Tulsa, is charged with breaking into his former dating partner’s home with intent to steal property on Feb. 27, 2021. On May 9, 2021, he also allegedly busted the door to his former partner’s home and assaulted her by striking her, threatening her with a firearm and attempting to strangle and suffocate her. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-270

Robert Earl McFarland IV. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. McFarland IV, 31, of Vinita, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Rossi .38 caliber pistol. The FBI and Vinita Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-251

Eugene Todd Nunley. Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force and Threat in Indian Country. Nunley, 47, of Tulsa, is charged with raping a female victim after forcing her into a wooded area near a pedestrian trail where the victim had been walking. The crime occurred on Aug. 13, 2015. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-271

Alvin Ezra Opry. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country (Counts 1 & 2). Opry, 37, of Tulsa, is charged with two counts of sexually abusing a child under 12, from Dec. 1, 2014, through Dec. 5, 2015. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-252

Earnest Jo Goss Petty. Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country; Robbery in Indian Country. On April 1, 2019, Petty, 38, of Tulsa, allegedly took the victim’s vehicle by force, resulting in serious bodily injury, on April 1, 2019. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-272

Jorden Michael Roberts. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Roberts, 34, of Tulsa, is charged with failing to register as a sex offender from Oct. 30, 2020, to Jan. 31, 2021. The U.S. Marshals Service and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-265

Joshua David Slinkard. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country (Counts 1 & 2).  Slinkard, 40, of Tulsa, is charged with sexually abusing a two minors between January 1, 2009, and January 1, 2010. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-266

William Frank Vanover. Kidnapping in Indian Country (Counts 1 & 4); Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Count 2); Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding- Misdemeanor (Counts 3 & 5). Vanover, 47, of Claremore, is charged with kidnapping and assaulting a female victim on Dec. 30, 2020. He allegedly threatened the woman with a knife and punched the victim in the face. According to the indictment, he kidnapped the victim and assaulted her a second time on Feb. 17, 2021. The FBI and Rogers County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-253

Johnny Lee Arnold and Dale Eugene Warren. First Degree Murder in Indian Country. Arnold, 33, of Langley, and Warren, 65, of Vinita, are charged with aiding and abetting one another when the killed Christopher Boren by stabbing the victim and beating him with a bat on Aug. 18, 2019. His body was found on the Mayes and Craig County line. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is the investigative agency. 21-CR-258

Brenan Wells; Brook Deerinwater; Mikayla Morrison. Robbery in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Harboring or Concealing a Person From Arrest. On May 9, 2021, Wells, 34, and Deerinwater, 32, are alleged to have violently robbed a victim. Wells is further charged with brandishing a firearm and striking the victim in the face with the firearm. Wells is also charged with being a felon in possession of a Tarus .22 caliber pistol and ammunition. Finally, Morrison, 24, is charged with harboring and concealing Wells after she was provided notice that a warrant and process had been issued for Wells’ apprehension. All three defendants are from Bristow. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Bristow Police Department, and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-254

Caleb Lewis Witte. Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force and Threat in Indian Country (Count 1); Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country (Count 2); Sexual Abuse of an Incapable Victim in Indian Country (Count 3); Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country (Count 4). Lewis, 25, of Bartlesville, allegedly sexually abused a minor between the ages of 12 and 16 from June 1, 2020, to Nov. 11, 2020. The FBI and Bartlesville Police Department are the investigative agencies. 21-CR-273

A man who orchestrated two major drug conspiracies while he was an inmate at an Oklahoma Department of Corrections facility pleaded guilty in federal court this week, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Tymalk Quane Love, 31, was charged with multiple counts of drug conspiracy and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  The drugs he helped traffic included methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl.

In a written plea agreement, Love admitted that from January 2018 to February 2019, he conspired with Anthony Ward Irving, Casey Joe Eastwood, and others, including a Tulsa “Facilitator,” to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and an unknown quantity of heroin.

While incarcerated, the defendant organized the other members’ activities and coordinated shipments, payments, and the distribution of methamphetamine and heroin. Love did so using contraband cell phones. Inmates are prohibited from possessing cell phones.

Anthony Irving lived in Arizona at the time of the conspiracy and helped provide large quantities of drugs to be redistributed. Casey Eastwood lived in Arkansas and helped redistribute the drugs to end-users. Love coordinated with both men and further instructed a Tulsa “Facilitator” on when and where to obtain, pay for, and distribute the drugs.

Love also admitted that the “Facilitator” possessed a firearm to protect the methamphetamine and drug proceeds from possible theft, and that this gun possession in furtherance of drug trafficking was reasonably foreseeable to him.

Love also admitted that from January to February 2019, he conspired with the Tulsa “Facilitator” to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Love again used contraband cell phones to communicate with the “Facilitator” from prison about when and in what manner pills laced with fentanyl and shipped from Mexico would be sent to the “Facilitator’s” house in Tulsa. The fentanyl pills, often referred to as “Mexican Oxys,” are illicitly manufactured in Mexico to look like prescription oxycodone tablets. Users frequently believe they are taking oxycodone or a comparable opioid, but the fentanyl laced pills, which are much stronger than oxycodone, often lead to overdose and death.

Love admitted that the proceeds from his drug conspiracies totaled $201,800.

If the Court accepts the parties’ plea agreement at sentencing, Love will receive a sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment.

The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies.

A Tulsa man pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court for assaulting and strangling his former intimate partner, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Terrance DuJuan Reed, 29, pleaded guilty to assault of an intimate partner by strangling, suffocating, or attempting to strangle or suffocate in Indian Country. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 13, 2021.

According to the complaint and accompanying affidavit initially filed in the case, Reed asked for a ride on Feb. 16, 2020. During the car ride, Reed began yelling at and questioning the victim about a recent trip she took with friends, and once they arrived at his destination, he demanded to check her text messages. Following the victim’s refusal to hand over her cell phone, Reed punched the victim, dragged her from the car and began to strangle the victim with his hands. He then placed his arm around her throat and neck and strangled her until she passed out. He continued his violent attack by punching the victim in the head, eyes and mouth. Upon regaining consciousness, she attempted to call 911 for help, but Reed took her cell phone and fled the scene.

The victim drove herself to a family member’s home to receive help, 911 was called, and emergency responders transported the victim to the hospital for care.

Reed was located and arrested by Tulsa Police officers on Feb.17, 2020.

The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cymetra M. Williams is prosecuting the case. Ms. Williams is a prosecutor from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of New Jersey. She volunteered to assist prosecution efforts here in the Northern District of Oklahoma due to increased jurisdictional responsibilities regarding crimes involving Native American victims or defendants and that occur within the Muscogee and Cherokee Nation reservations.

A Delaware County man faces a murder conspiracy charge in federal court after his state case was dismissed in March due to lack of jurisdiction, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Cody Buzzard, 27, was charged Tuesday by Criminal Complaint with conspiracy to murder in Indian Country. The crime was committed on the Cherokee Nation reservation.

A Complaint is a temporary charge alleging violation of the law. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. For the case to proceed to trial, the United States must present the charge to a federal Grand Jury within 30 days. Once a Grand Jury returns an Indictment, a defendant has a right to a jury trial at which time the United States would have the burden of proving the defendant’s guilt.

On Aug. 1, 2019, the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call reporting a shooting near Jay. Deputies discovered Jerry Wayne Tapp deceased in his front yard. It appeared that Tapp sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his body and that a second victim had sustained a gunshot wound to her arm. According to the affidavit accompanying the Complaint, the victim told investigators that she heard a noise outside the home early on Aug. 1 and thought that Tapp had forgotten his keys to the house. She then turned on the light and opened the door. She heard gunfire and felt a sudden pain in her right wrist then shut and locked the front door, crawled to another room, and called 911. The witness explained that she saw a white 4-door car that did not belong to the victims and Tapp’s truck before shutting the door. When officers arrived both vehicles were gone. During a crime scene investigation, OSBI agents discovered approximately 12, .22 caliber spent casings in the yard.   

In the affidavit, Cody’s brother Dakota Buzzard and father James Buzzard are implicated as being possible participants in the murder conspiracy.

At 9:30 am the day of the crime, Dakota was located by deputies from the McDonald County Sheriff’s Office while driving a white 4-door Altima matching the victim’s description. OSBI agents later found four .22 caliber spent casings inside the vehicle and a .22 caliber rifle and bullets located behind a section of drywall in another individual’s residence who allegedly hid the firearm for the Buzzards. During the investigation, the shell casings found at the scene of the crime were identified as having been fired by the .22 caliber rifle.

Witnesses to events following the murder claimed they overheard conversations stating that someone had been killed, that Dakota and his brother Cody had killed someone, that Cody was disposing of a pickup, and that James Buzzard had allegedly spoken about being involved.

On Aug. 6, 2019, investigators obtained Cody’s Facebook records after a search warrant was served. The day before the shooting Cody allegedly made inquiries using Facebook about getting a vehicle and firearm. He allegedly indicated that he “had business to tend to,” and he was going to “take care of a problem.”

The FBI, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI), Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, and McDonald County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ben Tonkin and Victor Régal are prosecuting the case.

A Tulsa man was sentenced today in federal court after being convicted of possessing child pornography, also known as child sexual abuse material, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced James Michael Brown, 63, to 40 months in federal prison followed by 10 years of supervised release. As required by the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018, Judge Frizzell also ordered Brown to pay $5,000 in restitution to one of the victims who was abused in the creation of the child sexual abuse material that was downloaded by Brown. At a March plea hearing, the defendant admitted that from March 27, 2019, to Sept. 30, 2019, he possessed the images and videos.

The Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Operation Clean Sweep, a four-month long operation that concentrated law enforcement efforts on counteracting the spike in internet facilitated child-exploitation crimes in the Northern District of Oklahoma. The operation was carried out in partnership with more than a dozen local, state, tribal and federal law enforcement agencies. The case was also brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A Tulsa man was charged by Criminal Complaint today for assaulting a woman with a knife and threatening to kill her, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Darian Rasean Morris, 25, of  Tulsa, was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country.

The victim requested a ride from Morris on June 3, 2021. During the ride, Morris became angry and accused the victim of being disrespectful after she requested he make a stop at a retailer. According to the affidavit, Morris retrieved a knife from inside his vehicle and held it to the victim’s body, threatening to kill her if she didn’t quit her job. He stated that if she wanted to live, she should go with him and not return to work. The victim was eventually able to get away from the defendant and call 911.

This matter will proceed in U.S. District Court in Tulsa, where the Complaint is currently pending. A Complaint is a temporary charge alleging a violation of law. For the case to proceed to trial, the United States must present the charge to a federal Grand Jury within 30 days. Once a Grand Jury returns an Indictment, a defendant has a right to a jury trial at which the United States would have the burden of proving the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cymetra M. Williams is prosecuting the case. Ms. Williams is a prosecutor from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of New Jersey. She volunteered to assist prosecution efforts here in the Northern District of Oklahoma due to increased jurisdictional responsibilities regarding crimes involving Native American victims or defendants and that occur within the Muscogee Nation and Cherokee Nation Reservations.

A woman who led officers on a chase and was later discovered with methamphetamine was sentenced today in federal court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Judge Terence C. Kern sentenced Brittany Paige Coffee, 27, of Tulsa, to 10 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. In March, Coffee was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.

On Sept. 17, 2020, Tulsa Police Officers approached Paige’s vehicle and attempted to arrest fugitive Jose Pizane Ruiz, a passenger in the car. In response, Coffee drove out of the parking lot at a high rate of speed, almost running over officers. The vehicle was eventually involved in a collision near 1500 W. Highway 412. Coffee and Ruiz ran from the crash scene but were not apprehended at the time. Officers discovered three firearms in the wrecked vehicle.

Coffee and Ruiz were eventually located at a Tulsa residence in and around a different vehicle parked in the driveway. Officers arrested Coffee in the vehicle. Ruiz was arrested after a brief foot pursuit. Officers found a purse in the vehicle containing Coffee’s Oklahoma identification card as well as a black case containing 585 grams of methamphetamine.

Ruiz was also charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. His case is currently pending in federal court, and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick prosecuted the case.

Adam Gallardo Arredondo, 59, of Waxahachie, Texas, pleaded guilty Monday to illegal remuneration for health care referrals. Arredondo admitted that he solicited and received checks from OK Compounding, a Tulsa pharmacy, in exchange for referring his patients’ compounding prescriptions.  The compounding prescriptions were paid for by federal healthcare programs; therefore, the kickbacks paid to Arredondo violated federal law.

According to the plea agreement, the United States and Arredondo agreed to the following sentence – 36 months of supervised probation and restitution to be paid in the amount of $216,624.75. Arredondo further agreed to surrender his medical license. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell will determine Arredondo’s final sentence at a hearing set for Sept. 24.

In the agreement, Arredondo stated that on January 1, 2013, he signed a Consulting Physicians Agreement with OK Compounding, located in Tulsa. The agreement stated that Arredondo would provide services in exchange for an hourly payment from OK Compounding. In his plea, Arredondo stated that he never provided the services listed in the Agreement but was instead paid for sending all of his patients’ compounding prescriptions to OK Compounding to be filled.

Arredondo also created the company, Taffinder Marketing, LLC, and recruited other physicians to enter into similar contracts with OK Compounding. Like Arredondo, those physicians did not perform the services in their contract; rather, they were paid to send their compounding prescriptions to OK Compounding. Arredondo’s company was paid a monthly fee for the recruitment services. On August 14, 2013, Arredondo received a $10,000 check from OK Compounding as payment for referring the prescriptions.  The payment included prescriptions that were paid in whole or in part by the federal programs TRICARE, VA, Medicare and/or Office of Worker's Compensation Programs-Department of Labor.

TRICARE suffered a loss of $16,547.75 as a result of the crime.

Further losses incurred from other offenses not included in the plea agreement totaled $200,077.00. Those losses include:

Department of Labor: $14,746.58

Medicare $53,272.67

Tricare: $119,567.76

VA: $ 12,489.99

The Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service, the United States Postal Service-Office of Inspector General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and United States Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melody Noble Nelson is prosecuting the case.

A Broken Arrow man was sentenced today in federal court for fraudulently applying for a Paycheck Protection Program forgivable loan guaranteed by the Small Business Administration under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan sentenced Rafael Maturino, 40, to 12 months and one day in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Eagan further ordered the defendant pay $97,800 in restitution to First Bank of Owasso. Maturino is required to self-surrender on July 14, 2021.

The defendant previously pleaded guilty to bank fraud after executing a scheme to defraud First Bank of Owasso when applying for a Paycheck Protection Program loan under false pretenses on April 28, 2020.  Maturino applied for a Paycheck Protection Program loan on behalf of a company he claimed to own and operate, Maturino Enterprises, Inc. He submitted forms that misrepresented the company’s payroll expenditures, amount of taxes paid, and the number of people employed. In his plea agreement, Maturino admitted that he falsely represented in a Paycheck Protection Program “Borrower Application Form” submitted to First Bank of Owasso that Maturino Enterprises had an average monthly payroll of $39,152.92; had 5 employees; and was in operation on February 15, 2020. He further represented that he would use the requested loan funds to retain workers and maintain payroll or make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments, as specified under the Paycheck Protection Program Rule. Maturino then signed the application form certifying the information was truthful.

The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding, and in December 2020, Congress authorized another $284 billion in funding.

The PPP allows qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of 1 percent. Paycheck Protection Program loan proceeds must be used by businesses on payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. The PPP allows the interest and principal to be forgiven if businesses spend the proceeds on these expenses within a set period and use a certain percentage of the loan towards payroll expenses.

The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Office of Inspector General; Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General; and FBI are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor A.S. Régal prosecuted the case.

To learn more about the Justice Department’s COVID-19 related response and prosecutions, visit: https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. For further information on the Criminal Division’s enforcement efforts on PPP fraud, including court documents from significant cases, visit the following website: https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/ppp-fraud. For further information on the Civil Division’s enforcement efforts, visit the following website: https://www.justice.gov/civil.  

To report a COVID-19-related fraud scheme or suspicious activity, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) by calling the NCDF Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

A man was sentenced today in federal court for attempting to have heroin mailed from Mexico to his Tulsa residence and for possession with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan sentenced Shane McClearan Wright, 44, of Tulsa, to 10 years in federal prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. Wright pleaded guilty on Jan. 7, 2021, to attempted possession of heroin with intent to distribute; possession of heroin with intent to distribute; possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute; possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute; and maintaining a drug-involved premises.

“Shane Wright attempted to have nearly 2 kilos of heroin shipped to Oklahoma and planned to distribute a trio of deadly drugs- fentanyl, methamphetamine and heroin- onto the streets of Tulsa,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Because of the close working relationships established between U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, Tulsa Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn McCormick, this drug dealer is headed to federal prison.”

“Those seeking to profit from the distribution of these dangerous, life-altering drugs will face swift prosecution and accountability for their crimes,” said Ryan L. Spradlin, special agent in charge of HSI Dallas. “While we recognize the users addicted to these illicit substances need help, our most pressing priority as a law enforcement agency is to eradicate the source of this scourge, placing the traffickers that bring these drugs into our communities behind bars.”  

On September 10, 2020, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer x-rayed a FedEx package coming from Mexico and noticed some anomalies. A K-9 unit then discovered that the package contained 1.84 kilos of heroin and was en route to an address in Northern Oklahoma. Officers discovered that the package was intended for Shane Wright and that Wright was known to local law enforcement as a narcotics courier. Prior to the delivery arriving at Wright’s residence, law enforcement replaced the 1.84 kilos with 100 grams of heroin as a represented delivery sample. On September 15, 2020, an officer from the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs posed as a FedEx delivery driver and knocked on Wright’s door to have him sign for the package. Once the parcel was received by Wright, law enforcement conducted a search warrant and found $6,975 cash in a lock box, more heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, unknown white pills, and a digital scale at the residence.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, Tulsa Police Department, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick prosecuted the case. AUSA McCormick is the lead attorney for the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force in the Northern District of Oklahoma.

Three men have been sentenced in U.S. District Court for child pornography crimes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

“I want to thank the Tulsa Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations for their diligence that led to the prosecution of three defendants who received and distributed child sexual abuse material,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The men and women who investigate these crimes are exposed to unspeakable acts committed against children. Their work is difficult but essential to finding justice for victims who suffered horrific abuse during the production of child pornography.”

Clayton Jacob Waldon, 51, of Tulsa, was sentenced 108 months in federal prison followed by 25 years of supervised release for distribution and possession of child pornography. Waldon was further ordered to pay $6,000 in restitution to identified victims abused in the making of the child pornography. In his plea agreement, Waldon admitted that he received, distributed, possessed and accessed child sexual abuse material from Oct 9, 2019, to July 25, 2020. He also admitted that he knowingly accessed with intent to view more than 1,000 images of children being sexually abused. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matilda Villalobos prosecuted the case.

Travis Pryce, 50, of Copan, was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison followed by 10 years supervised release. In a blind plea, Pryce admitted to the distribution and receipt of child pornography from April 16, 2019, to Sept. 30, 2020. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Nassar prosecuted the case.

Andrew Glen Perrine, 31, of Tulsa, was sentenced to 64 months in federal prison followed by 15 years of supervised release. Perrine pleaded guilty to distribution, receipt, and to possession of child pornography from June 28, 2019, to July 14, 2020. In July 2020, Investigators from the Tulsa Police Cyber Crimes Unit and agents with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations received information that someone using the internet at Perrine’s residence had been distributing child pornography using a social media messaging app. A forensic examination discovered more than 50 sexually explicit photos of children on Perrine’s electronic devices. Perrine, a former pre-school teacher at B’nai Emunah Preschool in Tulsa and former teacher at Bartlesville Middle School, confessed to downloading child pornography for more than 15 years and to possessing photos of children as young as 10 years old. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Nassar prosecuted the case.

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