Northern District of Oklahoma

A man who sexually abused a young child starting in 2003 pleaded guilty Monday in federal court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Travis Dray Stewart, 41, pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact in Indian Country. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell set sentencing for Sept. 15, 2021.

In his plea agreement, Stewart admitted to making sexual contact with a child under 12 years of age between June 2003 and September 2005. The U.S. Attorney’s Office charged Stewart after his May 2015 conviction in Tulsa County District Court was overturned due to jurisdiction following the Supreme Court’s McGirt v Oklahoma decision.

 The resulting trauma associated with child sexual abuse can be long lasting. There are  agencies to assist in recovery or that can share resources. You can start your search for assistance by contacting:

-Oklahoma’s SafeLine at 1-800-522-SAFE (7233).

-National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678). Information on reporting and recovery can be found on NCMEC’s site https://www.missingkids.org/gethelpnow/csam-resources.

Suspected child neglect and abuse can be reported to the Oklahoma Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-522-3511 and/or to local law enforcement.

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

A man who attempted to illegally purchase a gun by lying on a federal firearms transaction form was sentenced today in federal court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan sentenced Zackery James Childress, 24, of Cleveland, Oklahoma, to five years of probation with the first 8 months to be served on home confinement.

Previously, Childress pleaded guilty to making a false statement to a firearms dealer. In his plea agreement, the defendant admitted that on Sept. 3, 2019, he tried to buy a firearm at a pawn shop in Osage County and lied on the ATF Form 4473, where he indicated that he had never been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. In fact, Childress knew he had been convicted of assault and battery of a pregnant woman on May 1, 2018.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Buscemi and Michael Harder prosecuted the case.

This case was prosecuted as part of the 2150 Initiative. The initiative focuses law enforcement efforts on criminals who use guns during crimes, individuals who lie on federal firearms transaction forms, and straw purchasers who acquire firearms for prohibited persons. The initiative was named in memory of Tulsa Police Sergeant Craig Johnson. Sgt. Johnson’s badge number, 2150, was selected as a way to honor his life and service. This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.

Acting United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the May 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.

Bryce Martin Agnew. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country. (21-CR-224) Agnew, 77, of Bartlesville, is charged with knowingly engaging in a sexual act with a minor under the age of 12, on July 9, 2009. The FBI and Bartlesville Police Department are the investigative agencies.

David Abel Alvarado. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. (21-CR-232)  Alvarado, 19, of Tulsa, is charged with assaulting a victim on April 26, 2021, by stabbing the victim in the chest. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Lucas Wayne Armentor. Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Suffocating in Indian Country (Count 1); Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding (Misdemeanor) (Counts 2 and 4); and Kidnapping in Indian Country (Count 3). (21-CR-218) Armentor, 37, of Skiatook, is charged with strangling and suffocating an intimate partner on March 27, 2021. He is further charged with striking, beating and wounding the female victim on March 27, 2021, and April 30, 2021. Finally, he is charged with kidnapping the victim on April 30, 2021. The FBI and Skiatook Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Denim Lee Blount; Hunter Lee Hobbs. Conspiracy to Carry, Use, Brandish, and Discharge a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Attempted Carjacking; Carrying, Using Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. (21-CR-233) On May 8, 2021, at 10:29 pm, two men later identified as Hobbs and Blount approached a man who was attempting to hook up his vehicle and trailer. The victim stated that one of the defendants pointed a shotgun at him and the other pointed a rifle at him. According to court documents, the two ordered the victim to get out of his vehicle, and when the victim refused, both men allegedly shot him. The two then fled west in a dark colored SUV, leaving the victim and his vehicle behind. The victim was transported to St. Francis Hospital for non-life threatening injuries. The FBI, Tulsa Police Department, and U.S. Marshals Service are the investigative agencies.

Eric Tyrone Bradford. First Degree Murder in Indian Country; Causing Death by Using and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to Crimes of Violence. (21-CR-234) Bradford, 44, is charged with shooting and killing Daniel Watashe on April 30, 2016. He is further charged with using and  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.

Travas Ramon Estrada. Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Suffocating in Indian Country; Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to an Intimate/Dating Partner in Indian Country; Kidnapping in Indian Country. (21-CR-219) Estrada, 44, of Tulsa, is charged with strangling and suffocating his intimate partner on April 24, 2020. He is also charged with assaulting the woman repeatedly by striking her in the head and throwing her against the wall, which resulted in substantial bodily injury. Finally, the defendant is charged with kidnapping the victim between April 24, 2020, and April 29, 2020. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Jock O’Dell Gray. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. (21-CR-235) Gray, 41, of Jay, is charged with assaulting a female victim with a machete on April 21, 2021. The FBI and Delaware County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies.

Lee Owen Hallford. Assault With a Dangerous Weapon, with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. (superseding, 21-CR-23) Hallford, 39, of Tulsa, is charged with assaulting a male with a knife on Jan. 27, 2021. He is further charged with failing to register as a sex offender. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Weston James Hill; Rayna Shianne Parkerson. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute. (21-CR-236) Hill, 29, of Broken Arrow, and Parkerson, 23, of Coweta, are charged with knowingly possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a methamphetamine. The two are further charged with knowingly possessing with intent to distribute heroin. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Broken Arrow Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Arnold Dean Howell Jr.; Katherine Elaine Freeman. First Degree Murder in Indian Country. (superseding) (21-CR-121) Howell, 30, and Freeman, 33, are charged with aiding and abetting one another when killing Michael Mondier by stabbing him to death during the perpetration of a robbery on April 13, 2015. The FBI, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Creek County Sheriff’s Office, and Sapulpa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Jeffrey Arch Jones. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child in Indian Country (counts 1 and 3); Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child in Indian Country (count 2). (superseding) (21-CR-23) Jones, 31, allegedly engaged in sex acts with a minor under 12 years of age from Sept. 29, 2015 to Sept 28, 2016. He is also charged with abusive sexual contact of a second child under the age of 12 from Oct. 9, 2014, to Sept. 30, 2016. Finally, he is charged with engaging in sex acts with the second child from Oct. 9, 2014, through Sept. 30, 2016. The Broken Arrow Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.

Thomas Anthony Pearce. Coercion or Enticement of a Minor; Production of Child Pornography in Indian Country; Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country; Distribution of Marijuana. (21-CR-237) According to court documents, Pearce, 53, of Glenpool, coerced a minor to engage in sexual activity from Feb. 3-Feb 8, 2021. During the same time, Pearce also coerced the minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing images. Pearce is also charged with possessing and knowingly accessing child pornography. Finally, Pearce is charged with distributing marijuana to the minor. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Jenks Police Department conducted the investigation.

Robert Ray Sheets. Accessory After the Fact to First Degree Murder in Indian Country. (21-CR-240) Sheets, 42, of Owasso, is charged with assisting Tommy Alexander Jones and Wesley Johnston in order to hinder and prevent the offenders’ apprehension after they allegedly committed first degree murder. The crime occurred in October 2018. The FBI, Tulsa Police Department and Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies.

Gerald Smith. First Degree Burglary in Indian Country (count 1); Kidnapping in Indian Country (counts 2 and 3); Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to an Intimate/Dating Partner in Indian Country (count 4); Robbery in Indian Country (count 5). (21-CR-225) On May 4, 2021, Smith, 27, of Tulsa, is alleged to have forcibly opened a locked sliding door at a former girlfriend’s apartment and entered without permission. He then threatened the victim and told her she needed to get him a hotel room. Due to previous violent acts, the victim went with the defendant, taking her young child with her. Once at the hotel, the woman attempted to escape with her child but was unable.  Smith then beat the woman, striking her in the head repeatedly which resulted in substantial bodily injury. Then the defendant allegedly drove off in the victim’s vehicle. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Louden Dewayne Swaim. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. (21-CR-238) Swaim, 35, of Bluejacket, is charged with being a felon in possession of a GForce Arms 12-gauge shotgun; Smith & Wesson .223 rifle; and 116 rounds of ammunition. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Craig County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies.

Aleta Necole Thomas. False Statement to a Financial Institution (counts 1-5). (21-CR-239) Thomas, 42, of Tulsa, is charged with lying to five different banks for the purpose of securing multiple loans as part of the Paycheck Protection Program, which is administered by the Small Business Administration. Some of the false businesses Thomas allegedly used to apply for the loans were 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, and Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General; are the investigative agencies.

Clinton Kyle Veley. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. (21-CR-220) Veley, 39, of Nowata, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Rock Island Armory M5 12-gauge pump action shotgun and ammunition. He is further charged with assaulting a man on Oct. 14, 2020, by using the shotgun to strike the victim in the face, causing severe lacerations. The FBI, Nowata Police Department and Cherokee Nation Marshal Service conducted the investigation.

Kevin White. First Degree Murder in Indian Country. (21-CR-222) White,62, is charged with the first degree murder of Donald Iwanski by repeatedly beating him with a metal pipe on Feb. 4, 1995. The FBI is the investigative agency.

Edgar Gene Willhite. Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country. (21-CR-226) Willhite, 57, of Tulsa, is charged with assaulting a man by punching him, causing the victim to fall. The assault resulted in substantial bodily injury. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Steven Dale Worcester. Conveying False and Misleading Information Concerning an Explosive Device. (21-CR-221) Worcester is charged with conveying false and misleading information about an explosive when he made statements to a city of Tulsa bus driver that “you better get off now and call somebody because I have a bomb.” The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

A man who portrayed himself as a Native American spiritual counselor was convicted Tuesday by a federal jury of sexually abusing a Native American minor and illegally possessing feathers, talons and heads from seven bald eagles and seven golden eagles, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

The jury found Carl Gene Ortner Jr., 57, of Quapaw, guilty of transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, sexual abuse of a child in Indian Country, abusive sexual contact in Indian Country, possession of parts of a bald eagle, and possession of parts of a golden eagle. U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III presided over the trial and set sentencing for Sept. 30, 2021.

“Carl Ortner is not a Native American spiritual counselor, as he led his community to believe. A jury this week saw Ortner for what he was – a predator who targeted a vulnerable young victim, using her Native American heritage and grief to sexually abuse her,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “During this trial, two other victims came forward and stated that Ortner also abused them. All three of these young women are to be commended for their bravery and for stopping this defendant from harming others.”

“No matter what type of crime wildlife is connected to, we will work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners for justice,” said Phillip Land, Special Agent in Charge of the Southwest Region for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement. “These guilty verdicts send a strong message that these types of crime will not be tolerated, and we thank the U.S Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, and the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance with this case.”

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shannon Cozzoni and Ryan Roberts argued that Ortner fraudulently claimed to be a Native American spiritual counselor. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cozzoni pointed out the defendant portrayed himself as an Indian, yet he had no tribal affiliation. He told several people he was a member of several Tribes, but no Tribe claimed him.

A special agent with the Fish and Wildlife Service testified that investigators discovered feathers and various parts of bald and golden eagles, including heads, talons, and entire wings, at Ortner’s residence. Native Americans consider eagles to be sacred and use the parts in cultural and religious practices. Ortner illegally possessed the feathers and parts.

Further evidence was presented showing that the defendant used his position of influence to groom the victim and force her into sexual relations with him, using her cultural beliefs and vulnerability against her. The victim also had been struggling with losing a loved one, and Ortner used the loss to further groom the victim.

In 2016, Ortner began sexually abusing the minor. While some of the abuse allegedly occurred within state jurisdiction, Ortner, who is not a tribal citizen, also abused the victim on Indian land, which falls within federal jurisdiction. Furthermore, Ortner at one point drove the victim to Joplin, Missouri, to engage in criminal sexual activity with the minor victim. Crossing state lines to engage in illegal activity falls within federal jurisdiction.

Witnesses testified that Ortner threatened to embarrass the victim and the tribe unless she said the sexual assault did not happen. Also testifying for the government were two other women who stated that Ortner also groomed them as minors and sexually abused them.

In the Government’s closing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Roberts reminded the jury that all three women, who did not know one another, had made similar statements in court. They were vulnerable minors when the sexual abuse occurred. Several had experienced recent deaths of loved ones, which Ortner exploited. Ortner would also buy them lingerie and use the same term to describe the undergarments. Roberts called Ortner a wolf in sheep’s clothing, stating that he disguised himself as a caring Native American elder to get close to the victims. Then when the time was right, Ortner attacked.

The jury took less than two hours to deliberate before coming back with guilty verdicts on all five counts.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department, FBI, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Roberts and Shannon Cozzoni prosecuted the case.

Two men allegedly involved in an attempted carjacking that led to the shooting of the driver made initial appearances today in federal court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Hunter Isaiah Hobbs, 20, of Bixby, and Denim Lee Blount, 18, of Tulsa, were both charged by criminal complaint with attempted carjacking and carrying, using, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. U.S. Magistrate Judge Jodi F. Jayne set Hobbs’ detention hearing for Friday, May 21, at 11 am. Blount’s initial appearance will continue on Tuesday, May 18, at 2 pm.

“Hobbs and Blount are charged with attempting to carjack the victim, and when he refused to hand over his vehicle, they allegedly opened fire on him. Thankfully the victim survived and is recovering from his injuries,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “I appreciate the joint work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah Paisner, the FBI, Tulsa Police Department and U.S. Marshals Service which led to the apprehension and charging of these two defendants.”

On May 8, 2021, at 10:29 pm, two men later identified as Hobbs and Blount approached the victim who was attempting to hook up his vehicle and trailer. The victim stated that one of the defendants pointed a shotgun at him and the other pointed a rifle at him. According to court documents, the two ordered the victim to get out of his vehicle, and when the victim refused, both men shot him. The two then fled west in a dark colored SUV, leaving the victim and his vehicle behind. An investigator with the Tulsa Police Department estimated that the victim had been shot approximately 10 times.

The victim was transported to St. Francis Hospital for non-life threatening injuries. Surveillance cameras from a nearby apartment complex captured the alleged incident.

The FBI,  Tulsa Police Department, and U.S. Marshals Service are the investigative agencies.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Nassar and Leah Paisner are prosecuting the case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the 2150 Initiative. The initiative focuses law enforcement efforts on criminals who use guns during crimes, individuals who lie on firearms transaction forms, and straw purchasers who acquire firearms for prohibited persons. It was named in memory of Tulsa Police Sergeant Craig Johnson. Sgt. Johnson’s badge number, 2150, was selected for the initiative as a way to honor his life and his commitment to the Tulsa community. This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.

**This press release has been correct to show the correct date/year of the crime, May 8, 2021.

A Sand Springs man who kidnapped and threatened to kill a former dating partner pleaded guilty today in federal court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Michael Joseph Pointer, 42, pleaded guilty to carjacking; kidnapping in Indian Country; and carrying, using, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

“Michael Pointer has a history of threats and acts of violence. In this case, he threatened to kill the victim in a ‘bloodbath’ and fired his shotgun at the victim, narrowly missing her head. Because of her quick thinking, she was eventually able to escape her captor,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Assistant U.S. Attorney Chantelle Dial and our partners at the FBI and Tulsa Police Department ensured Pointer’s conviction today in federal court. I am proud of their work to protect victims of abuse.”

Pointer admitted that on April 3, 2020, he kidnapped a former dating partner using force and intimidation. Pointer threatened to kill the victim and her family and discharged a shotgun at her. At that time, Pointer knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his previous felony conviction. He then took the victim and her Mercury minivan, driving her around Tulsa against her will. At one point, the victim was able to break away from Pointer and run into a convenience store where she hid in a bathroom. A store employee called authorities. Tulsa Police officers responded to the call, located the vehicle, and conducted a high-risk traffic stop. Officers discovered a 12-gauge shot gun and ammunition in the vehicle.

The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chantelle Dial is prosecuting 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 (Creek) Nation and Cherokee Nation Reservations.

 Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of Operation Clean Sweep, a four-month long operation initiated to protect children from falling victim to predators living within 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.

Operation Clean Sweep netted 33 alleged child predators in 10 of the 11 counties in the Northern District of Oklahoma. Twelve of those defendants have pleaded guilty thus far in federal court. The operation further identified and/or rescued 12 child victims during the investigation.

“Operation Clean Sweep was a joint law enforcement investigation designed to help counteract the spike in internet facilitated child-exploitation crimes, in part fueled by the COVID-19 crisis,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The operation concentrated resources and personnel to identify and help victims of child sex abuse and hold accountable those who exploit them. I appreciate our law enforcement partners who identified these 33 alleged predators of children and brought them forward for federal prosecution.”

With the onset of COVID-19 lockdowns during 2020, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received more than 65 million child pornography files in nearly 22 million CyberTipline reports- the highest numbers ever recorded and a 28% increase from 2019.

NCMEC’s CyberTipline is the nation’s centralized reporting system for the online exploitation of children. The public and electronic service providers can make reports of suspected online enticement of children for sexual acts, extra-familial child sexual molestation, child pornography, child sex tourism, child sex trafficking, unsolicited obscene materials sent to a child, misleading domain names, and misleading words or digital images on the internet.

As Oklahoma’s jurisdictional landscape has evolved in the last year, continuing strong partnerships among all law enforcement and victims’ services agencies is critical to ensuring the public’s safety. Most of the Northern District lies within the Cherokee and Muscogee Nations’ reservations. The federal government’s ability to prosecute a variety of child exploitation cases has expanded as well as the number of cases. Fourteen of the 33 cases being prosecuted as part of Operation Clean Sweep fall within Indian Country jurisdiction.

Operation Clean Sweep is led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar with support from Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Snow. Law enforcement agencies taking part in the operation are U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Tulsa Police Department, Bristow Police Department, Broken Arrow Police Department, Owasso Police Department, Sand Springs Police Department, Jenks Police Department, Rogers Country Sheriff’s Office, Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Police Department, and the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service.

The Operation is part of the Justice Department’s Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006. 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.    

In honor of National Police Week, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson recognize the service, courage and sacrifice made by federal, state, local and Tribal law enforcement. This year, the week is observed Sunday, May 9 through Saturday, May 15, 2021.

“This week is a time to honor our law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland. “I am constantly inspired by the extraordinary courage and dedication with which members of law enforcement act each day, putting their lives on the line to make our communities safer. To members of law enforcement and your families: we know that not a single day, nor a single week, is enough to recognize your service and sacrifice. On behalf of the entire Department of Justice, you have our unwavering support and eternal gratitude.”

“During National Police Week, Americans commemorate the courage, devotion to duty, and extraordinary character that is reflected in the men and women who selflessly serve as law enforcement officers in communities across our nation. We especially honor and remember the peace officers, including eight Oklahomans, who lost their lives in the line of duty in 2020,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “For their service and sacrifice to the cause of justice, I am grateful.”

This year, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund approved the inclusion of 295 names representing those killed in the line of duty in 2020, including Tulsa Police Sergeant Craig Johnson. Of those, 182 died from COVID-19. An additional 99 officers who died in previous years were also added to the memorial. In 2020, Officer Jerad Lindsey of the Tulsa Police Department, Captain Jeffrey Sewell of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Captain Billy Allen Sr. of the U.S. Department of Defense Fort Sill Police Department, and Chief Deputy Sheriff Lindal Hall of the McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office passed away from COVID-19. Oklahoma also lost Tulsa County Corporal John Okafor, Bryan County Deputy Jarid Taylor, and Canadian County Lieutenant Shirley Lanning.

As part of National Police Week, Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson and Law Enforcement Coordinator Chris Witt will attend several memorial ceremonies in northeastern Oklahoma, honoring law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty.

• Johnson will attend the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office memorial in Chandler Park on May 13. He previously attended the Tulsa Police Department memorial ceremony and was the keynote speaker at the Tulsa Honor Guard’s 50th Anniversary Celebration.
• Witt will represent the U.S. Attorney’s Office at memorial ceremonies throughout the week: Bartlesville Police Department and Washington County Sheriff’s Office - May 12; Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office - May 13; and Creek County Sheriff’s Office -May 13. Witt also attended the Oklahoma Law Enforcement, Oklahoma City Police Department, and Tulsa Police Department memorial ceremonies.

In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices.  Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.

The names of the 394 fallen officers who have been added in 2020 to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Thursday, May 13, 2021, during a Virtual Candlelight Vigil, which will be livestreamed to the public at 8:00 PM EDT.

Those who wish to view the Virtual Candlelight Vigil on May 13, 2021, can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNLEOMF.

The Police Week in-person public events, originally scheduled for May, have been rescheduled due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns to October 13-17, 2021. An in-person Candlelight Vigil event is scheduled for October 14, 2021.

To learn more about National Police Week in-person events scheduled for October, please visit www.policeweek.org.

A former Tulsa resident who fraudulently applied for a Paycheck Protection Program forgivable loan guaranteed by the Small Business Administration under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act pleaded guilty today in federal court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Adewale Matthew Abel, 51, pleaded guilty to making a false statement to a financial institution. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 10, 2021.

“Stopping COVID-related fraud continues to be a priority for the Department of Justice. In the past year, this office has charged six defendants, including Mr. Abel, for fraudulent schemes related to Paycheck Protection Program forgivable loans,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “I appreciate the diligent work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin Harrington and Victor Régal who make up my Coronavirus Anti-Fraud Team. Today’s conviction reflects their resolve to hold fraudsters accountable for stealing taxpayer-funded resources needed by America’s small businesses.”

From May 3, 2020, to May 11, 2020, Abel made false statements to Stride Bank on an application for a Paycheck Protection Program loan in the approximate amount of $300,000 for a company, Pinnacle Industry LLC, that Abel claimed to own and operate.  On a borrower application, Abel falsely claimed the company had a payroll of $120,000; employed 20 people; was in operation on Feb. 15, 2020 and had employees for whom it paid salaries and payroll taxes; and would use the 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. He then signed the application, certifying that information provided in the application and supporting documents was true and accurate.

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. Attorneys Kristin Harrington and Victor A.S. Régal are prosecuting the case.

Overall, the Justice Department has charged at least 120 defendants with fraud related to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a provision of the $2.2 trillion CARES Act aimed at helping small businesses keep workers on their payrolls. The Department has also charged approximately 140 defendants with unemployment insurance fraud.

To learn more about the Department’s COVID response, 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 Tulsa man was sentenced today in federal court for cutting his girlfriend’s throat and for illegally possessing a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Judge John E. Dowdell sentenced Devin Charles Staller, 24, to 70 months in federal prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. Staller previously pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon in Indian Country and to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

“Devin Staller will spend nearly six years in federal prison where he can no longer intimidate, threaten and harm this victim,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Intimate partner violence accounts for 15% of all violent crime. My office and our law enforcement partners support victims of domestic violence and will hold accountable their abusers in a court of law.”

In his written plea agreement, Staller admitted that he had intent to do bodily harm when he assaulted the female victim with a knife by cutting her throat on June 24, 2020.

He further admitted to being a felon in possession of a Montgomery Ward Savage 16 gauge pump-action shotgun. Staller had the firearm when police located him at an apartment in Tulsa on July 17, 2020. Staller was previously convicted of eight felonies.

The Tulsa Police Department, FBI and  Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives 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 (Creek) Nation and Cherokee Nation Reservations.

Acting United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the May 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.

Gerardo Benitez-Jimenez. Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien. Benitez-Jimenez, 44, of Tulsa, is charged with unlawfully being in the United States after having been deported on Dec. 4, 2014 at or near New Orleans, Louisiana. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency.

Stacey Dewayne Berry. Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country; Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor Under 12 Years of Age in Indian Country; Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country; Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor Aged 12-16 Years in Indian Country; Abusive Sexual Contact without Permission in Indian Country. Berry, 57, is charged with sexually abusing 3 children. Some victims were abused as early as 2000. This case was previously prosecuted by the state of Oklahoma. The FBI, Craig County Sheriff’s Office and District Attorney’s Office- District 12 conducted the investigation.

Devon Blevins; Jacob Bruce Banks. First Degree Murder in Indian Country; Causing Death by Using and Discharging a Firearm During and Relation to Crimes of Violence; Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. On April 12, 2019, Blevins, 28, and Banks, 21, both of Tulsa, aided and abetted one another when they allegedly killed Maurice L. Burgess by shooting him with a firearm. The two are also charged with aiding and abetting one another when they knowingly used and discharged a firearm during and in relation to crimes of violence- First Degree Murder and Second Degree Murder in Indian Country. Blevins is also charged with assaulting the victim by shooting him. Finally, Banks is charged with being a felon in possession of a New Frontier LW-15 multi caliber rifle and ammunition. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Thomas Darrel Blossom. Second Degree Murder in Indian Country; Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country. Blossom is charged with killing Lucus Chuckluck on Sept. 22, 2020, by driving in a reckless manner, traveling over the posted speed limit on a wet roadway and while under the influence of alcohol. The FBI, Oklahoma Highway Patrol and Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation are the investigative agencies.

Jeremy Nicholas Botonis. Coercion and Enticement of a Child in Indian Country; Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child in Indian Country. From June 1, 2019, to September 3, 2019, Botonis, 43, of Sand Springs, allegedly enticed and coerced a minor to engage in any sexual activity. On August 24, 2019, Botonis knowingly engaged in, and attempted to engage in sexual contact with a minor between 12 and 16 years of age. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Mayes County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies.

Walter Franklin Deerinwater. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Deerinwater, 30, of Bristow, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Taurus .45 ACP caliber pistol. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Bristow Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Dustin Lee Dennis; Michael Scott Dennis. Child Neglect in Indian Country (Counts 1-4); Use of a Communication Facility in Committing, Causing, and Facilitating the Commission of a Drug Trafficking Felony (Counts 5-19). From June 12 to June 13, 2020, Dustin Dennis, 32, of Tulsa, allegedly failed to provide adequate care for his two children, who died while under his supervision. During the same timeframe, Dustin Dennis is further charged with failing to protect his children from exposure to the use, possession and sale of illegal drugs and illegal activities. Further, Dustin Dennis and his brother Michael Dennis, 49, of Tulsa, are charged with using their cell phones while committing, causing, and facilitating the commission of a drug trafficking felony on June 12 and June 13 and other dates alleged in the indictment. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Travis Loran Dry. Assault of an Intimate Partner and Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country; Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force in Indian Country. Dry, 33, of Tulsa, is charged with strangling and attempting to strangle a dating partner on Jan. 13, 2019. He is also charged with aggravated sexual abuse by force in regard to a second victim, occurring sometime between Dec. 18, 2018 and Jan. 17, 2019. The FBI and Rogers County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies.

Kenneth Jermaine Ferrell. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Ferrell, 36, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Taurus .40 caliber pistol. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Jimmy Glenn Hendrix. Causing Death by Using and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to Crimes of Violence. Hendrix, 42, of Tulsa, is charged with using and discharging a firearm during and in relation to crimes of violence- First Degree Murder and Second Degree Murder in Indian Country. Hendrix allegedly used a firearm to shoot and kill Jarrod Young on March 11, 2008. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Matthew Steven Janson. Distribution and Receipt of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country. Between April 18, 2016, to May 25, 2016, Janson, 37, of Tulsa, is alleged to have knowingly distributed and received child pornography. He is further charged with knowingly possessing and accessing with intent to view the child pornography. Some of the depictions involved the use of prepubescent minors and minors who had not attained 12 years of age. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Adrian Robert Jones. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Jones, 29, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Smith and Wesson .40 S&W caliber semi-automatic pistol with an extended 30 round magazine and ammunition. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Johnny Lee Jumper Jr. and Herman Junior Snell II. First Degree Murder in Indian Country. Jumper Jr., 44, and Snell II, 41, are charged with maliciously and deliberately killing another man by repeatedly beating him during a robbery on May 1, 1994. The FBI, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and Mayes County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies.

Raymond Lane Jr. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. Lane Jr., 46, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. He is further charged with possessing a Smith and Wesson 9 mm pistol in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes and with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency.

Jaquan Dawantee Lee. First Degree Burglary in Indian Country (Count 1); Assault by Strangulation in Indian Country (Counts 2 and 4); Witness Tampering (Count 3) (superseding). On Aug. 25, 2019, Lee, 27, of Tulsa, allegedly broke into a home by kicking in the door while the occupants were present. He is further charged with assaulting an intimate partner by attempting to strangle and suffocate her on Aug. 25, 2019, and with trying to persuade the victim to make false statements in relation to an official proceeding. Finally, Lee is charged with assaulting the same victim on Jan. 9, 2018, by strangling and suffocating the woman. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Ashley Lorene Parnell. First Degree Murder in Indian Country. Parnell, 39, is charged with killing a 2-year-old boy by causing blunt force trauma to the child’s head. Parnell allegedly perpetrated the murder as part of a pattern and practice of assault and torture against the child. The crime occurred in Jenks in March 2008. The FBI and Tulsa and Jenks Police Departments are the investigative agencies.

Robert William Perry II. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country; Abusive Sexual Contact of a Minor in Indian Country (superseding). Perry II, 30, is charged with sexually abusing a child under 12 years of age from May 6, 2017, to May 15, 2018. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Justin Marquis Render. Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. Render, 27, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Sig Sauer 9 mm Parabellum caliber pistol and ammunition. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Don Westley Roe Jr. Enticement. Roe Jr., 62, of Tulsa, is charged with using an electronic device to entice and coerce an individual who he believed had not attained the age of 18 to engage in sexual activity. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Bristow Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Cornelius Prince Shanklin. Child Abuse in Indian Country; Child Neglect in Indian Country. Shanklin, 30, allegedly engaged in the abuse of an infant on July 15, 2015. He is further charged with child neglect.  The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Jeffrey Brent Thomas. Aggravated Assault of Federal Officer with a Deadly and Dangerous Weapon (Counts 1 and 2); Eluding Peace Officer in Indian Country (Count 3). On April 6, 2021, Thomas, 43, of McAlester, allegedly assaulted and resisted a Task Force Officer with the U.S. Marshals Service when he struck the officer’s vehicle with his truck. He also allegedly assaulted and resisted members of the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office who were assisting the U.S. Marshals Service by striking their vehicles with his truck. Members of the U.S. Marshals Service Violent Crimes Task Force were attempting to arrest Thomas at the time. The FBI and Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies.

Jose Tyler Vaught. First Degree Murder in Indian Country; Causing Death by Using and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to Crimes of Violence. Vaught, 28, of Lexington, is charged with deliberately and maliciously shooting and killing Joey Aguirre on July 30, 2015. Vaught is also charged with using and 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.

Two men were sentenced late this week for possessing with intent to distribute multiple kilos of methamphetamine in the Tulsa-Metro area, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

“In these two cases, large quantities of methamphetamine were confiscated and removed from the illegal drug market,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Federal prosecutors and our law enforcement partners are intent on holding traffickers accountable for distributing deadly methamphetamine and other narcotics in Oklahoma’s communities.”

U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III sentenced Marco Antonio Zavala- Cervantes, 27, of Tulsa, to 210 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. Zavala-Cervantes pleaded guilty for possessing with intent to distribute 6 kilograms of pure methamphetamine and to unlawfully reentering the United States. Zavala-Cervantes was previously removed from the country on April 21, 2018.

After coordination between the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, a trooper stopped Zavala-Cervantes for a traffic violation on June 2, 2020. The defendant claimed he was returning from a construction job in Muskogee. During the stop, a K-9 was deployed and positively alerted to the presence of narcotics inside the vehicle. Officers then conducted a probable cause search of the vehicle and discovered six gallon sized bags filled with pure methamphetamine that had an estimated street value of $78,000. Pure methamphetamine can be diluted into even larger quantities for resale. In a subsequent search of his phone, investigators discovered that in one day, the defendant had engaged in multiple drug sales worth in excess of $10,000.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and Oklahoma Highway Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar prosecuted the case.

In a separate case, U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced drug distributor Richard Howard Barnett III, 25, of Tulsa, to 240 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release.

Barnett III, pleaded guilty in January 2021 to two counts of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute; possession of heroin with intent to distribute; and two counts of possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes.

On Feb. 5, 2019, the Tulsa Police Department Special Investigations Division’s Narcotics Unit executed a probable cause warrant on Barnett’s residence in Tulsa. After announcing their presence, a male identified as Richard Barnett attempted to flee from a door along the side of the garage. Officers subdued Barnett, and as he was being taken into custody, a Taurus semi-auto pistol fell from his waistband. During a search of the home, officers found Barnett’s photo identification and tribal citizenship paperwork. They also discovered 1,837 grams of methamphetamine, 13 grams of heroin, multiple firearms and ammunition, and items used in the distribution of narcotics such as digital scales and baggies. Three others were also taken into custody.

Just weeks after his arrest, Barnett bonded out of custody and immediately resumed his drug operation by obtaining another stash of methamphetamine and another firearm.  On March 15, 2019, officers executed a search warrant at the same residence, where they found methamphetamine, numerous pills in baggies, and a loaded .25 caliber pistol. Four others were also taken into custody.

The Tulsa Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick is prosecuting the case. AUSA McCormick is the Lead Attorney for the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force in the Northern District of Oklahoma.

A woman who operated a Tulsa spa pleaded guilty today in federal court for using medical devices, also known as cosmetic fillers, on patients that were not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Elisa Kaye Sanders, 61, of Tulsa, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor fraud relating to misbranded devices.

Sanders admitted that on March 10, 2017, she administered the medical devices Juvederm® Ultra 4 and Juvederm® Ultra with Lidocaine to a patient. These specific devices are not approved by the FDA for distribution in the United States and are considered adulterated under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Sanders failed to tell the patient she was using unapproved fillers. According to court documents, Sanders purchased the fillers from unauthorized sources and was previously advised by the FDA that purchasing these prescription devices from unauthorized sources was illegal.

Sanders was a majority owner and operator of L’Chaim Medical Spa, previously known as Enhance Skin and Body Medical Spa. The business is no longer in operation.

The Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shannon Cozzoni and Scott Proctor are prosecuting the case.

A Rogers County woman pleaded guilty today in federal court for producing child pornography involving her young child, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. 

Brittney Jo Wallace, 29, of Claremore, pleaded guilty to production of child pornography by a parent. Wallace admitted that she had the toddler touch her in a sexually explicit manner while she took photos using her cell phone on Sept. 26, 2015. Chief U.S. District Judge John E. Dowdell set sentencing for July 29, 2021.

“Detectives and agents with OSBI’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit and Tulsa’s Homeland Security Investigations Child Exploitation Task Force doggedly pursue individuals, like Brittney Wallace, who harm the most innocent and vulnerable among us,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This office and our law enforcement partners will continue our critical work to protect Oklahoma’s children.”

In 2016, Wallace’s children were taken from the home after a doctor found signs of severe child abuse. The defendant’s parental rights were later terminated. During the 2016 investigation conducted by the state of Oklahoma, authorities seized the defendant’s phone which was later suppressed. Recently, the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals found the seizure and subsequent search of her phone were proper, and the phone was turned over to investigators. When authorities conducted a forensic examination of the phone, they discovered the child pornography. 

On March 1, 2021, the U.S. Marshals Service arrested Wallace on a federal arrest warrant. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Rogers County Sheriff’s Office, and Claremore Police Department conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matilda M. Villalobos and Christopher J. Nassar are prosecuting the case. AUSA Villalobos is a prosecutor from the District of New Mexico. 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 (Creek) Nation and Cherokee Nation Reservations.

You can find the indictment press release here.

If you suspect a child is being sexually exploited, contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children immediately at 1-800-THE-LOST or cybertipline.org.  You can also contact the OSBI ICAC Unit at (800) 522-8017 or tips@osbi.ok.gov. 

A Sapulpa man scheduled to begin trial Tuesday in federal court opted instead to plead guilty to sexually abusing a young child, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Bradley Don Goodin, 46, pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact with a child under 12 in Indian Country. As part of the plea agreement, the defendant agreed to a sentence of 15 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell will make the final sentencing determination at a hearing set for Aug. 11, 2021.

“Bradley Goodin was a danger to children, but now thanks to the  Sapulpa Police Department, Creek County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI, and my office, he is a convicted child predator who will spend significant time in federal prison,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

In a child forensic interview, the girl described two incidents when Goodin sexually abused her on Oct. 5, 2019. During the second incident, the victim’s mother walked in. The girl was afraid to tell her mother what was happening at the time because she feared he would harm them. She later disclosed the abuse. With the aid of a neighbor, the mother fled the home with her children and contacted the Sapulpa Police Department. At the time of the incident, Goodin was an officer with Bristow Police Department. He has not been employed with the department since November 2019.

In a February 2021 superseding indictment, Goodin was charged with sexually abusing a total of three minors. He was also charged with being a felon in possession of 21 firearms. Goodin chose to plead guilty rather than go to trial.

The Sapulpa Police Department, Creek County Sheriff’s Office and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey A. Gallant and Matilda Villalobos are prosecuting the case. Ms. Villalobos is a prosecutor from the District of New Mexico. 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 (Creek) Nation and Cherokee Nation Reservations.

After six hours of deliberation, a federal jury found Shannon Kepler guilty of murdering 19-year-old Jeremey Lake and for firing at Lake’s younger brother on August 5, 2014. At the time of the murder, Kepler was a 24-year veteran of the Tulsa Police Department.

Shannon Kepler, 60, was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals moments after the verdict. He will be sentenced on Aug. 11, 2021.

“Today, Shannon Kepler was found guilty of using and discharging a firearm in the second degree murder of Jeremey Lake and for assaulting Lake’s brother with a firearm in Indian Country after his previous state conviction was dismissed as a result of the U.S. Supreme Court’s McGirt decision. I am thankful for today’s verdict, and the jury is to be commended for their service,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.  “I’m extremely proud of the FBI and Tulsa Police Department as well as Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Lenhardt and Sean Taylor for their tireless preparation and successful prosecution of Mr. Kepler in federal court.”

Jury selection occurred on Monday, April 19, before U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell, followed by opening statements and testimony starting April 20. In his opening, Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross Lenhardt set the scene. Shannon Kepler and his wife were having a difficult time with their adopted daughter, Lisa. The behavior continued, and the Keplers eventually dropped her off at a homeless shelter shortly after she turned 18.  Kepler provided her with no clothing—other than what she was wearing, no money, no cell phone, and no credit cards.

Days after dropping her off, Kepler logged into Lisa’s Facebook page and saw she was suddenly “in a relationship” with Jeremey Lake. Kepler’s attorney stated that Kepler was “alarmed” with what he saw on Lake’s Facebook page, and, while still at work, Kepler requested a records clerk to run a search on Lake’s history. Kepler learned that Lake was the victim of child abuse at a very young age and was previously charged as a juvenile after pushing a social services worker. Those charges did not result in a conviction.

Kepler then copied down Lake’s last known address—202 North Maybelle Avenue—on the printed arrest and booking sheet involving Lake. Later, Kepler changed clothes, waited until dark, retrieved his .357 magnum revolver, and drove his wife’s dark SUV to the home where Lake was staying. Kepler testified that he knew the revolver would not leave shell casings at the scene. Kepler arrived at approximately 9 pm and saw his daughter and Lake walking together. He tried to talk to his daughter, but she rebuffed him and started walking toward the home. As Lake stood in the street, Kepler pulled his revolver and shot Jeremey Lake twice, quickly causing his death. Kepler then turned and fired at least three more rounds in the direction of the witnesses—Lake’s friend Josh Mills, Lake’s 13-year-old brother Michael Hamilton, and Kepler’s own daughter, Lisa. Hamilton was sitting on the home’s front porch at the time and was slightly injured during the shooting. Kepler then fled the scene, testifying that he knew his fellow Tulsa police officers would be hunting for him, his vehicle, and his weapon.  He abandoned the SUV at a former Motel 6 just off the Broken Arrow Expressway and eventually turned himself in.  Approximately 14 hours after the shooting, his former attorney brought the still-loaded murder weapon into the Tulsa Police Station in a zip lock bag.

When testifying, Kepler claimed that, although no gun was ever found at the scene, he shot Lake in self-defense after Lake “got the jump on him,” pulling a shiny, semi-automatic pistol from his pants pocket. While Kepler’s attorney argued that a gun found in the Tulsa Police Department several days later “could” have been taken from the scene, expert and forensic evidence proved that the two incidents were unrelated.

The prosecution proved that Kepler had not only heard about the unrelated gun, but that he had also been provided with police reports and photographs of it before ever testifying. 

In his closing statement, Lenhardt reviewed the charges and critical evidence that supported a finding of guilty on each count.  The prosecution asked the jury to conclude that although Kepler alleged that he went to 202 North Maybelle to confront his daughter, he actually went there to confront Lake.  The evidence proved that once there, Kepler shot Lake twice, and then began shooting at the witnesses that were present. 

Kepler appealed his October 2017 state manslaughter conviction on grounds that his case should have been tried in federal court based on the McGirt v. Oklahoma U.S. Supreme Court ruling since he was a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and the shooting took place on the nation’s Reservation.

The FBI and Tulsa Police Department joined forces to lead the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross E. Lenhardt and Sean J. Taylor are prosecuting the case. Mr. Lenhardt is a prosecutor from the Western District of Pennsylvania, and Mr. Taylor is a prosecutor from the Eastern District of Texas. Both 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.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners at Tulsa Metropolitan Ministry, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, Tulsa Crime Stoppers, and the Family Safety Center invite the public to attend a public safety and victim resource event:

“A Community Day of Hope,”

Friday April 23, from 10 am to 2 pm

Tulsa’s Promenade Mall (4107 South Yale Ave.).

Will be held outside the mall due to COVID-19 considerations

Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson and Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt will attend from 10- 10:30 am.

“On Friday, April 23, from 10 am to 2 pm, I invite the public to join my office and our partners as we show support to victims of crime and share public safety information,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma stands with victims of crime and their families. We also recognize the unwavering support and vital work that our law enforcement and community partners perform every day to secure victims’ rights and support survivors.”

Approximately 40 law enforcement, victim services and community agencies will share public safety and victim resource information. The Tulsa Fire Department will also distribute 200 backpacks to the public. The Family Safety Center is accepting donations: hygiene products, new stuffed animals, stress balls, pop-top tuna & microwavable mac n cheese, individually wrapped snacks.

Communities nationwide are observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 18-24, 2021. The week promotes victims' rights, celebrates progress made in the field, and honors crime victims. This year’s theme is “Support Victims. Build Trust. Engage Communities”.

* Throughout the week, the public is also invited to join the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners virtually as we observe National Crime Victims’ Rights Week on the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s social media sites (FB: @usaondok; Twitter: @USAO_NDOK).

* Also, in honor of crime victims, several Tulsa businesses have illuminated the sky with pink, purple, or yellow in honor of victims of crime.  Businesses include ONEOK, ONE GAS, Oklahomans for Equality, and KJRH Ch. 2. Other businesses are also welcome to join in support.

* Nationally, the Justice Department’s Office for Victims of Crime recognizes individuals and organizations that demonstrate outstanding service in supporting victims. The 2021 National Crime Victims’ Service Awards Ceremony will be held virtually on April 23, 2021, from 3:00 to 4:30 pm eastern time. Learn more and register to watch the ceremony live. #NCVRW2021 https://go.usa.gov/xH3zv

Some 3.3 million Americans age 12 and older were victims of violent crime in 2018, according to the National Crime Victimization Survey.  The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), part of the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs, supports more than 7,000 local victim assistance programs and victim compensation programs in every state and U.S. territory.  Funds for these programs come from the Crime Victims Fund, which is made up of federal criminal fines, penalties and bond forfeitures.

Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first Victims’ Rights Week in 1981, putting crime victims' rights, needs, and concerns in a prominent spot on the American agenda.  He also established the President's Task Force on Victims of Crime, which laid the groundwork for a national network of services and legal safeguards for crime victims.

Agencies participating in “A Community Day of Hope” on April 23, from 10 am to 2 pm at Tulsa’s Promenade Mall include:

U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma

Tulsa Crime Stoppers

Tulsa Metropolitan Ministry

Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office

Family Safety Center

Counseling & Recovery Services of Oklahoma

AAA

American Dream Center

Muscogee (Creek) Nation Family Violence Prevention Program

CASA

Oklahoma Department of Human Services - Adult Protective Services

Tulsa Fire Department

Traffic Safety Division/Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office/Oklahoma Highway Safety Office

FBI

Sand Springs Police Department

Tulsa Police Department Victim Witness Unit

Tulsa Police Department Community Engagement Unit

LIFE Senior Services

Oklahoma Highway Patrol

The Coffee Bunker

Surayya Anne Foundation

Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office/Victim Witness Center

Wyandotte Nation Family Violence Prevention Program

SANE Program/Forensic Nursing

211 Eastern Oklahoma, Community Service Council

Marsy's Law of Oklahoma

Camp Hope

Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma

Cherokee Nation One Fire Victim Services

The Tristesse Grief Center

Equality Center of Oklahoma

YWCA

Parkside Psychiatric Hospital & Clinic

Ascension St. John

DVIS (Domestic Violence Intervention Services)

BACA: Bikers Against Child Abuse

The SA Foundation

Camp Hope

Acting United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the April 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.

Jack Clinton Brady. Receipt of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country. From Jan. 1, 2018, to March 4, 2021, Brady, 66, of Tulsa, allegedly received and possessed child pornography. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements’ Homeland Security Investigations and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Terrence Andrew Davis. Coercion and Enticement of a Minor; Production of Child Pornography; Commission of Felony Sex Offense by a Registered Sex Offender. Davis, 29, of Bristow, allegedly enticed and coerced a minor using a social media app to engage in sexual activity from Aug. 1 to Aug. 5, 2020. Davis is also charged with enticing and coercing the minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions after a previous conviction of soliciting sexual conduct or communication with a minor by use of technology in Creek County District Court. Finally, on Aug. 5, 2020, Davis, a registered sex offender, allegedly committed a felony sex offense against the minor. The Bristow Police Department is the investigative agency.

Isaiah Drywater. Unlawful User of a Controlled Substance in Possession of a Firearm. Drywater, 23, of Tulsa, knowing he was an unlawful drug user, possessed a Smith & Wesson 9 mm semi-automatic pistol. The Tulsa Police Department is the investigative agency.

Kim Wade Dyer, Jr. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Felon in Possession of a Firearm; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Dyer Jr., 22, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Canik 9 mm caliber pistol and with possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on Sept. 23, 2020. Dyer Jr. is also charged with being a felon in possession of a Benelli Ethos shotgun and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on Dec. 18, 2021.  He is further charged with possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on March 4, 2021. The defendant is also charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and maintaining a drug involved premises. The FBI, Tulsa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.

Cynthis Lucille Fish. Robbery in Indian Country. Fish, 40, of Dewey,  aided and abetted others to rob an individual of methamphetamine using force and violence on March 17, 2020. The FBI and Osage County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies.

Dallas Gene Hastings. First Degree Murder in Indian Country. Hastings, 40, of Claremore, is charged with the first degree murder of Erie Anderson Raybon, an 88-year old woman, by beating her to death with a hammer during a home invasion on Jan. 2, 2000. The FBI, Claremore Police Department, and Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation.

Kyle Wayne Lawrence. Aggravated Sexual Abuse; Sexual Abuse; Sexual Abuse of a Minor. On Jan. 30, 2018, Lawrence, 35, of Afton, allegedly supplied a minor with alcohol until she became unconscious then sexually abused her. The FBI and Nowata Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Steven Wayne Lockler Jr. First Degree Murder in Indian Country. Lockler Jr., 41, allegedly perpetrated a pattern of assault and torture against a child, Christopher Barnard, and killed the him on April 28, 2008 by striking him in the abdomen. The FBI and Claremore Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Johnny Edward Mize Jr. Murder- Second Degree. Mize Jr., 35, of Tulsa, is charged with shooting and killing a Native American juvenile on July 4, 2017. The Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office and FBI are the investigative agencies.

Marie Morrow; Heather Griffith. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country; Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country; Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding (Misdemeanor). On March 15, 2020, Morrow, 25, of Grove, allegedly stabbed a victim with a knife, resulting in serious bodily injury. Approximately 15 minutes prior to the stabbing, Griffith, 27, of Grove, allegedly assaulted the same victim by striking, beating and wounding her while Morrow restrained her. The FBI, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and Delaware County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies.

Rene Ramos; Edgar Tejeda. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Ramos, 37, and Tejeda, 24, both of Tulsa, are charged with knowingly possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Gary Dumont Riggs. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of Child (4 Counts). Riggs, 76, of Claremore, is charged with three counts of sexually abusing a minor between May 1, 2014 and Sept. 1, 2014, and one count of sexually abusing a minor between Dec. 1, 2014 to Jan. 31, 2015. The FBI and Verdigris Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Keli Dawn Sewell. Assault With a Dangerous Weapon. Sewell, 31, of Sapulpa, is charged with assaulting a victim with a pistol. The FBI is the investigative agency.

Virgil Wayne Steel. Assault of an Intimate Partner and Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country. On March 30, 2019, Steel, 36, of Nowata, allegedly strangled and attempted to strangle his dating partner. The FBI and Oologah Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Desiree Dione Tah. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Tah, 38, of Claremore, is charged with assaulting a male victim by stabbing him with a knife on March 9, 2020. The FBI and Claremore Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Maxwell Todhunter. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. Todhunter, 34, Tulsa, is charged with conspiring with others to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. He is also charged with possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. He is further charged with possessing a Lorcin .380 ACP caliber handgun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and with maintaining a premises for distributing and using methamphetamine. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Jimmy Allen Truster. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Truster, 53, of Afton, is charged with assaulting a female victim by stabbing her with a knife and striking her in the head with a rock. The FBI and Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.

Robert Allen Weeks. Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to an Intimate Partner and Dating Partner in Indian Country. On April 2, 2021, Weeks, 35, of Tulsa, allegedly assaulted his dating partner by shoving her to the floor and kicking and punching her, resulting in serious bodily injury. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Kamau Jahi Williams; Tanara Monique Ruble; Albert Thomas III. Distribution of Methamphetamine; Drug Conspiracy; Distribution of Heroin; Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crimes (superseding). Williams, 42, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly distributing methamphetamine. In this superseding indictment, Williams and Ruble, 39, of Tulsa, are charged with conspiring together and with others to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin. Thomas, 38, of Sapulpa, is charged with knowingly distributing heroin and with possessing with intent to distribute heroin. Thomas is further charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime. The Drug Enforcement Agency and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Marquiloh Donte Williams. Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country; Kidnapping in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country. Williams, 24, of Wagoner, threatened a victim, held a machete to her neck, and sexually assaulted her on Aug. 18, 2019. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

A federal jury today found a man from Choctaw guilty of kidnapping and assaulting his ex-wife in April 2017.

Randy Alan Hamett, 64, was convicted on all 12 counts:  kidnapping in Indian Country; carjacking; possessing and receiving a stolen firearm and stolen ammunition; possession of a firearm while subject to a domestic violence protective order; burglary in the second degree in Indian Country; assaults with a dangerous weapons (2 counts) in Indian Country; domestic violence in Indian Country; interstate violation of a protective Order (2 counts); carrying, using, and brandishing firearms during and in relation to a crime of violence (2 counts). U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan set sentencing for July 29, 2021.

“A  jury considered the evidence and then held Randy Hamett accountable for terrorizing Alisa Henin, the victim in this case,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Alisa faced abuser Randy Hamett through a harrowing ordeal and then two trials. She is a survivor and is to be commended for her courage. She exemplifies the resiliency and strength we see in victims every day.”

On April 25, 2017, Hamett parked his truck at a nearby Wal-Mart, walked to Ms. Henin’s home, and cut a hole in an outside wall to gain entry. When she returned home, Hamett tased her, pointed his own revolver at her, and bound her hands and feet. Hamett then forced the victim into a car, stole a revolver she had purchased after obtaining a protective order against him, then kidnapped her and sexually assaulted her. During the two-day ordeal, Hamett threatened to kill himself, the victim, and anyone who tried to help her. 

Convinced that Hamett was going to kill her, she made every effort to prolong the trip and gain the defendant’s trust. She convinced Hamett they should get back together and remarry in Arkansas.  The defendant eventually allowed her to text her parents and her boyfriend so they would not become suspicious concerning her whereabouts. Based on the nature of the text, Ms. Henin’s parents became worried that she was in danger and contacted the Broken Arrow Police Department.  Through a concerted investigation by the Broken Arrow and Siloam Springs Police Departments, officers were able to locate Hamett and the victim at a hotel in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, where they determined Hamett was holding the victim against her will. Officers found him in possession of a firearm and ammunition, along with Taser cartridges, and Hamett was arrested for violation of a protective order. 

At an August 2020 press conference announcing Justice Department domestic violence funding awards, Ms. Henin shared her story of survival and recognized the 28 domestic violence warriors who helped her escape a violent marriage and who ultimately held Hamett accountable for his crimes. Those who assisted her were law enforcement, victim services agencies, friends and family.

As she ended her story, Alisa said, “In June 2020, [Randy Hamett] won an appeal on a procedural technicality, so he will be re-tried in federal court. Am I worried? No, I still have faith in God and confidence in the trained professionals who are fighting for my long-term protection. He may have had a dark plan to control and silence me, but there was obviously a greater plan at work. That plan included meeting extraordinary people who dedicate their lives to protecting and serving others. I will always be grateful to them and to those who provide resources to domestic violence victims.”

Hamett was previously convicted in federal court for the kidnapping, but the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed his conviction and ordered a new trial. In a 2-1 decision, the appellate court found that the trial judge had “erred in finding that Mr. Hamett knowingly and intelligently waived his right to counsel” at his July 2018 trial.

“I am thankful for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeff Gallant and Devon Lash in securing today’s conviction,” said Johnson. “Devon volunteered to join our team from the Eastern District of New York as this office took on an exponential increase in cases. This week was her first trial as a federal prosecutor, and I couldn’t be more proud of her performance in court.”

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Broken Arrow Police and Siloam Springs Police Departments, and the Rogers State University Police.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners at Tulsa Metropolitan Ministry, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, Tulsa Crime Stoppers, and the Family Safety Center join communities nationwide in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 18-24, 2021, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. The week promotes victims' rights, celebrates progress made in the field, and honors crime victims. This year’s theme is “Support Victims. Build Trust. Engage Communities”.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma stands with victims of crime and their families. We also recognize the unwavering support and vital work that our law enforcement and community partners perform every day to secure victims’ rights and support survivors,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This week my office and our partners invite the public to join us as we encourage and show support to victims of crime."

* Throughout the week, the public is invited to join the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners virtually as we observe National Crime Victims’ Rights Week on the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s social media sites (FB: @usaondok; Twitter: @USAO_NDOK). Starting Sunday, April 18, Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson will kick off the week-long virtual awareness event. Also, Tulsa Mayor GT Bynum will share a proclamation in support of crime victims. Throughout the week, messages of support and resource information will be shared by law enforcement, victim services agencies, and faith-based organizations from northeastern Oklahoma. The public is encouraged to share and comment in support of victims.

* Sunday at dusk, also look for the sky to be illuminated pink, purple, or yellow by several Tulsa businesses in honor of victims of crime.  Businesses include ONEOK, ONE GAS, Oklahomans for Equality, and KJRH Ch. 2. Other businesses are also welcome to join in support.

* Also, an in-person public event, “A Community Day of Hope,” will be held Friday, April 23, from 10 am to 2 pm at Tulsa’s Promenade Mall west parking lot, (4107 South Yale Ave.) The event will be held outside due to COVID-19 considerations. Approximately 35 law enforcement, victim services and community agencies will share public safety and victim resource information. The Tulsa Fire Department will also distribute 200 backpacks to the public.

* Nationally, the Justice Department’s Office for Victims of Crime recognizes individuals and organizations that demonstrate outstanding service in supporting victims. The 2021 National Crime Victims’ Service Awards Ceremony will be held virtually on April 23, 2021, from 3:00 to 4:30 pm eastern time. Learn more and register to watch the ceremony live. #NCVRW2021 https://go.usa.gov/xH3zv

Some 3.3 million Americans age 12 and older were victims of violent crime in 2018, according to the National Crime Victimization Survey.  The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), part of the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs, supports more than 7,000 local victim assistance programs and victim compensation programs in every state and U.S. territory.  Funds for these programs come from the Crime Victims Fund, which is made up of federal criminal fines, penalties and bond forfeitures.

Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first Victims’ Rights Week in 1981, putting crime victims' rights, needs, and concerns in a prominent spot on the American agenda.  He also established the President's Task Force on Victims of Crime, which laid the groundwork for a national network of services and legal safeguards for crime victims.

Agencies participating in “A Community Day of Hope” on April 23 at Tulsa’s Promenade Mall include:

U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma

Tulsa Crime Stoppers

Tulsa Metropolitan Ministry

Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office

Family Safety Center

Counseling & Recovery Services of Oklahoma

AAA

American Dream Center

Muscogee (Creek) Nation Family Violence Prevention Program

CASA

Oklahoma Department of Human Services - Adult Protective Services

Tulsa Fire Department

Traffic Safety Division/Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office/Oklahoma Highway Safety Office

FBI

Sand Springs Police Department

Tulsa Police Department Victim Witness Unit

Tulsa Police Department Community Engagement Unit

LIFE Senior Services

Oklahoma Highway Patrol

The Coffee Bunker

Surayya Anne Foundation Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office/Victim Witness Center

Wyandotte Nation Family Violence Prevention Program

SANE Program/Forensic Nursing

211 Eastern Oklahoma, Community Service Council

Marsy's Law of Oklahoma

Camp Hope

Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma

Cherokee Nation One Fire Victim Services

The Tristesse Grief Center

Equality Center of Oklahoma

YWCA

Parkside Psychiatric Hospital & Clinic

Ascension St. John Medical Center

DVIS (Domestic Violence Intervention Services)

A Tulsa police officer pleaded guilty today in federal court for conspiring to make a false statement to a firearms dealer when purchasing a firearm. 

Latoya Lisa Dythe, 26, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to make a false statement to a firearms dealer and to false statement to a firearms dealer.

According to her written plea agreement, Dythe admitted that she and her coconspirator Devon Jamyll Jones agreed that Dythe would purchase a firearm for him at a Bass Pro Shop. Jones gave Dythe money to purchase a specific firearm, a FN HERSTAL S.A., 5.7 X 28mm. As mandated by law, Dythe filled out required forms to purchase the firearm. When asked on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Form 4473 “Are you the actual transferee/buyer of the firearm(s) listed on this form,” Dythe answered “Yes”. Her response was a false statement made to obtain the firearm for Jones. Dythe admitted that she did in fact obtain the firearm and immediately gave it to Jones following the purchase. She admitted that she knew her actions were Illegal when she committed the crime.

The ATF Form 4473 specifically issues a warning to purchasers: “Warning: You are not the actual transferee/buyer if you are acquiring the firearm(s) on behalf of another person. If you are not the actual transferee/buyer, the licensee cannot transfer the firearm(s) to you.”

“Police officers, just like all citizens, that engage in criminal conduct must be held accountable for their actions,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Latoya Dythe understood it was illegal to lie on federal firearms transaction forms to obtain a gun for another individual, and today she has accepted responsibility for the crime. I appreciate the Tulsa Police Department for bringing this case to the attention of federal authorities and for working with the FBI and my office as this case proceeds in federal court.”

“The public rightfully expects more from those who have sworn to serve,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Melissa Godbold. “Latoya Dythe’s actions violated the public’s trust and I’m thankful for our federal, state and local law enforcement partners’ hard work to ensure this type of behavior is not tolerated.”

Dythe remains on bond pending sentencing which will occur on July 15. She faces a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment for each count, three years of supervised release and a fine not to exceed $250,000.

Devon Jones, 28, was charged as a coconspirator with Dythe in the indictment announced in December. Jones is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. See the press release here announcing the indictment.

The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Snow is prosecuting the case.

This case was prosecuted as part of the 2150 Initiative. The initiative is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma, Tulsa Police Department, ATF, and all other local, state, tribal and federal law enforcement partners to combat violent crime by focusing efforts on prohibited persons in possession of firearms as well as straw purchasers

A Welch cattleman who defrauded First State Bank of Commerce pleaded guilty Friday in federal court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

John Theodore Linthicum, 52, also known as Teddy Linthicum, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud before U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell.

“Teddy Linthicum perpetrated a check kiting scheme for his own gain and swindled First State Bank of Commerce out of $1.2 million,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Bank fraud, and other white-collar schemes, will not be tolerated. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will hold fraudsters, like Linthicum, accountable for their crimes.” 

The check kiting scheme was carried out by Linthicum and another cattle dealer, Douglas Mayfield, from October 2016 to January 2017.

In the fall of 2016, Linthicum experienced dwindling cash flow in his cattle business. He proposed that Mayfield write NSF checks to Linthicum that he could deposit into his bank account, thereby enabling Linthicum to avoid overdraft limitations and continue his cattle operation. Linthicum knew that Mayfield did not have sufficient funds to cover the checks he was writing to Linthicum.

Mayfield provided approximately 30 insufficiently funded checks from his accounts at Grand Savings Bank, in Grove, to Linthicum for deposit into Linthicum’s account at First State Bank.  Most often, Mayfield would simply sign the checks and Linthicum would fill in the amounts payable to himself. Linthicum frequently wrote in the memo notation that the checks were for the purchase of cattle, which was not true. The checks generally ranged between $100,000 and $375,000. The bank lost approximately $1.2 million as a result of the scheme.

Linthicum’s sentencing is set for Aug. 3, 2021. Mayfield previously pleaded guilty to the same charge in federal court, and his sentencing is pending.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)-Office of Inspector General and Federal Housing Finance Agency-Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Leitch and Vani Singhal are prosecuting the case.

A Tulsa couple who fraudulently applied for Paycheck Protection Program forgivable loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act pleaded guilty in federal court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Ibanga Etuk, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft on April 9. Teosha Etuk, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud on April 6.

“Ibanga and Teosha Etuk exploited the COVID-19 pandemic to steal taxpayer-funded resources from small businesses, and because of this, they are now convicted felons,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The Coronavirus Anti-Fraud Team and our partners at the Small Business Administration, Federal Reserve Board and FBI remain committed to protecting the integrity of critical resources provided by Congress to assist the American people.”

Ibanga Etuk admitted that from April 6, 2020, to April 29, 2020, he knowingly applied for a Paycheck Protection Program loan from Frontier State Bank under false pretenses. The defendant lied about the number of people employed during the previous months of purported operations, the payroll expenditures during the previous months, taxes paid during previous months of operation, ownership of the business, and relationships between the parties in a $300,000 loan application submitted for Ab0veAll Business Inc.

Ibanga Etuk further admitted that during the same time he unlawfully used another individual’s identity on payroll records submitted to Frontier State Bank when he applied for the $300,000 loan.

Teosha Etuk admitted that from April 14, 2020, to April 29, 2020, she fraudulently applied for a Paycheck Protection Program loan through First Liberty Bank. Specifically, she lied about the number of people employed during the previous months of purported operations, the payroll expenditures during the previous months, taxes paid during previous months of operation, ownership of the businesses and relationships between the conspirators in a loan application for $150,000 for the company TMARK Enterprises, Inc.

Also charged in the indictment is Olusolo Ojo, 42, of Owasso. Ojo is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.  

According to the indictment, the Etuks created 12 fictitious business entities that would fraudulently apply for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. During this time, Ibanga Etuk and Teosha Etuk submitted multiple applications for the same businesses to more than ten different banks, without disclosing to those banks that they were submitting duplicative applications. They conspired to obtain loans in the approximate amount of $5,430,585 and actually obtained funding from banks in the total approximate amount of $995,385.

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. Attorneys Kristin Harrington and Victor A.S. Régal are prosecuting the case.

In March 2020, Congress passed a $2.2 trillion economic relief bill known as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Anticipating the need to protect the integrity of these taxpayer funds and to otherwise protect Americans from fraud related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Justice immediately stood up multiple efforts dedicated to identifying, investigating, and prosecuting such fraud. Leveraging data analysis capabilities and partnerships developed through its vast experience combatting economic crime and fraud on government programs, the Justice Department’s response to COVID-19 related fraud serves as a model for proactive, high-impact white-collar enforcement. This rapid and nationwide response enabled the Justice Department to quickly ensure accountability for wrongdoing amid a national crisis and sent a forceful message of deterrence during an ongoing crisis.

The Department of Justice has publicly charged 474 defendants with criminal offenses based on fraud schemes connected to the COVID-19 pandemic. These cases involve attempts to obtain over $569 million from the U.S. government and unsuspecting individuals through fraud and have been brought in 56 federal districts around the country. These cases reflect a degree of reach, coordination, and expertise that is critical for enforcement efforts against COVID-19 related fraud to have a meaningful impact and is also emblematic of the Justice Department’s response to criminal wrongdoing.

To learn more about the Justice Department’s COVID response, 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 

Acting United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the final results of the April 2021 Federal Grand Jury A. The announcement for the partial Results of the April 2021 Federal Grand Jury A can be found here.

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.

Clarance Rozell Goode Jr. Conspiracy to Commit First Degree Murder in Indian Country (Count 1); First Degree Murder in Indian Country (Counts 2, 4, 6); Causing Death by Using and Discharging a Firearm (Counts 3, 5, 7). Goode Jr., 44, has been charged with conspiring with two others to murder Tara Burchett-Thompson, her daughter Kayla, and Mitch Thompson in August 2005.  The murders occurred in Owasso. The FBI is the lead investigative agency in cooperation with the Owasso Police Department, who was the primary investigating department at the time of the crime.

Joseph Keegan Haas. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm during and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding in Indian Country (Misdemeanor); Burglary First Degree in Indian Country; Kidnapping in Indian Country. On Feb 18, 2021, Haas, 29, allegedly assaulted a female with a deadly weapon by pointing a firearm at her while she was in bed. He further struck, beat and wounded the victim. On March 6, 2021, he broke into the victim’s residence in Pryor and held her against her will. The FBI and Mayes County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies.

Justin Tvmvmapky Harjo. First Degree Felony Murder in Indian Country. Harjo, 24, of Tulsa, allegedly caused the unlawful killings of Dion Carr and Chauncey Thomas during a burglary on May 23, 2019. Thomas was allegedly involved in the robbery and Carr was the homeowner’s boyfriend.  The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Billy Shane Hemphill. Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country. Hemphill, 48, in custody in Rogers County, is charged with killing a female while driving a vehicle recklessly and while impaired on Aug. 11, 2019. The victim was riding in the vehicle at the time of the accident. The FBI and Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. The Foyil Fire Department also initially responded to the accident.

Mark Lee Holt Jr. Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country; Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child in Indian Country. Holt Jr., 29, of Bartlesville, is charged with sexually abusing a minor between 12 and 16 years old from February 2020 to July 2020. He is further charged with abusive sexual contact of a second minor between 12 and 16 years old. The FBI and Bartlesville Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Diamanta Hera Johnson. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Johnson, 43, of Tulsa, is charged with assaulting another female with a knife. She allegedly used the knife as a deadly weapon with the intent to do bodily harm on May 14, 2017. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Christopher Johnson. Child Abuse in Indian Country; Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by Felon and Addict; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence. Johnson, 33, of Tulsa, is charged with the abuse of two children under the age of 18. From Feb. 1, 2020, through Feb. 19, 2021. He is further charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition by a felon and addict. From Feb. 1, 2020, to Feb. 19, 2021, Johnson allegedly assaulted the two minors with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm. Johnson is alleged to have carried and brandished a firearm during his crimes. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Dameon Lamar Leathers. First Degree Murder in Indian Country. Leathers, 39, of Tulsa, is charged with shooting and killing Howard Eugene Thompson on April 6, 2018. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Justin Dale Little. First Degree Murder in Indian Country. Little, 27, in Okla DOC facility, allegedly shot and killed Jonathan Weatherford on April 22, 2018, in Jenks. The FBI and Jenks Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Jessica Levon McBride. Second Degree Murder in Indian Country; Arson in Indian Country; Corruptly Attempting to Alter, Destroy, Mutilate, and Conceal an Object to Impair its Use in an Official Proceeding; Attempt to Commit Arson in Indian Country. McBride, 28, of Tulsa, is charged with killing Tracy Elaine Russell on March 17, 2019. She is further charged with setting Russell’s home on fire in an attempt to conceal evidence and the victim’s remains. McBride again attempted to set Russell’s home on fire later on March 20, 2019. The victim had allowed the defendant and her boyfriend to stay with her in exchange for the couple paying for groceries with food stamp funds issued to them. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Ryan Daniel McNAbb. Possession of Child Pornography. McNabb, 24, of Cleveland, is charged with knowingly possessing and accessing with intent to view child pornography. The images involved at least one prepubescent minor and a child who had not attained 12 years of age. McNabb was employed at the time of his arrest with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections as a Probation and Parole Officer. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and Broken Arrow and Cleveland Police Departments are the investigative agencies.

Edwin Morris. Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. Morris, 53, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of seven firearms and 10 rounds of ammunition. Firearms are a Military Armament Corp .45 auto caliber machine gun, Kel Tec 9 mm Luger caliber rifle, a HS Produkt .40 caliber pistol, a Smith & Wesson 9 mm caliber pistol, a Glock 17  9x19 caliber pistol, a Glock 43 9mm pistol and a High Standard Derringer .22 magnum caliber pistol. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Harvey Dale Murphy. First Degree Murder in Indian Country. Murphy, 39, of Hulbert, is charged with killing Kimmy Stipes by repeatedly striking her with a hammer on Oct. 31, 2019. The FBI, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and Mayes County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies.

Keldon Keith Summers, Annaleigh Shanell Greene. Sexual Abuse of a Child in Indian Country; Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country; Child Abuse in Indian Country; Enabling Child Abuse in Indian Country. Summers, 27, of Chelsea, is charged with sexually abusing a child under 12 years of age on Nov. 8, 2020. He is further charged with assaulting the child, causing serious bodily injury, and with child abuse. Finally, Greene, 24, of Vinita, is charged with enabling and permitting the abuse of the child. The FBI and Vinita Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Stephon Thompson. First Degree Murder in Indian Country. Causing Death by Using and Discharging a Firearm. Thompson, 37, of Tulsa, is charged with shooting and killing Lionell Rivers on Oct. 15, 2020. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Cheri Turney. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. Turney, 50, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. She is further charged with maintaining a place for distributing and using methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Edward John Van Woudenberg. First Degree Murder in Indian Country. Van Woudenberg, 65, in Okla. DOC facility, is charged with killing Robert Benjamin Sampson with a knife sometime between March 1 and March 14, 2013. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Travis Wilson. Attempted Kidnapping in Indian Country; Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country; Assault with Intent to Commit a Felony in Indian Country; Cyber Stalking; First Degree Burglary in Indian Country. Wilson, 49, in custody in Rogers County, allegedly attempted to kidnap a former intimate partner on Dec. 6, 2018. Fortunately, a Catoosa police officer heard the victims screams and intervened. Wilson is also charged with cyber stalking the victim between Oct. 1, 2018, and Dec. 6, 2018, using email, telephone, voicemail, and GPS tracking, causing substantial emotional distress to the victim. The FBI and Catoosa and Tulsa Police Departments are the investigative agencies.

A Tulsa man who drove intoxicated and caused a collision that killed one man and seriously injured another pleaded guilty today in federal court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Redex Lester Jr., 54, pleaded guilty to murder in the second degree in Indian Country and to assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country.

In the early evening of May 25, 2020, Lester Jr. drove intoxicated, exceeded the speed limit, and struck another vehicle head on. Wayne Thomas, a passenger in the other vehicle, died of his injuries three days following the crash. Another man suffered extensive, serious bodily injuries. At the time of the collision, Lester Jr. was driving on a suspended license and had a blood alcohol level of .239. 

Previously, the defendant had been convicted by the state of DUI in 1992, 1994, 2005, and, again, in February 2020. For his February 2020 DUI conviction, Lester Jr. was sentenced to six months, suspended. The May 25, 2020, DUI collision and death occurred less than four months later while Lester was still on state supervision.  

“Redex Lester Jr. chose time and again to drive intoxicated. Because of his reckless behavior, he killed a man and seriously injured another,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Thanks to the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chantelle Dial and Christopher Nassar, the defendant has been held accountable for this tragic loss of life.”

The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chantelle D. Dial and Christopher J. Nassar are prosecuting 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 (Creek) Nation and Cherokee Nation Reservations. Ms. Dial recently extended six more months to assist with the mission.

 A Claremore man who possessed thousands of images and videos of child pornography pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Jeffrey Rahn Reetz, 66, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition and to possession of child pornography. U.S District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell set sentencing for Aug. 2, 2021.

“Jeffrey Reetz collected 9,000 images and videos of the abuse and rape of children and was a felon illegally in possession of nine firearms who attempted to flee the country to escape prosecution,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Individuals like Reetz are the reason we seek to unmask and hold accountable those who download and share child pornography. I appreciate the efforts of the officers and agents of Homeland Security Investigations, the Tulsa Police Department’s Cyber Crimes Unit, and the Oklahoma Department of Corrections who were all instrumental in exposing and arresting this predator.”

Reetz stated in a written plea agreement that between March 2019, and January 23, 2020, he knowingly possessed three rifles, two shotguns, four handguns, and 1,421 rounds of ammunition. Reetz further admitted that between January 2017 and January 23, 2020, he knowingly possessed and accessed with intent to view more than 1,000 graphic image files and video files of child pornography. One image obtained and viewed by the defendant included a close up image of an adult male raping a toddler vaginally. Another image possessed by the defendant depicted a female toddler with a white pacifier in her mouth being raped anally by an adult male. These were only two of the more than 9,000 images and videos possessed by Reetz.

On Jan. 23, 2020, agents and officers executed a federal search and seizure warrant at Reetz’s residence and located the firearms. Reetz was subsequently taken into custody at the Tulsa International Airport while he was trying to flee the country to Cuba to avoid arrest and prosecution.

U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Tulsa Police Department and Oklahoma Department of Corrections conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matilda M. Villalobos, Vani Singhal, and Edward Snow are prosecuting the case.

Two Sapulpa men pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to child exploitation crimes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Aaron James Seney, 32, pleaded guilty to distribution and receipt of child pornography and to possession of child pornography. Nicholas Robert Hale, 36, pleaded guilty to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. Both men pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell.

“Crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children are one of  law enforcement’s highest priorities. Every day we strive to protect the most vulnerable members of our community from falling victim to child predators, like Seney and Hale,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “My office and our law enforcement partners will continue to identify, locate, and prosecute child predators and anyone who seeks out or produces child pornography.”

In a written plea agreement, Seney admitted that between March 24, 2020, and September 2, 2020, he distributed and received child pornography via the internet. He further admitted that he knowingly possessed and accessed child pornography, which involved at least one prepubescent minor and a minor that had not attained 12 years of age. 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 is prosecuting the case.

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. The Rogers County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sandra M. Urban and Christopher J. Nassar are prosecuting the case. Hale will be sentenced on July 9, 2021.

These cases were prosecuted as 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.

Acting United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the partial results of the April 2021 Federal Grand Jury A. Grand jury continues through Friday.

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.

Neil Anthony Burch. Assault by Strangulation in Indian Country; Cyberstalking. Burch, 26, of Oolagah, is charged with assaulting an intimate partner by strangling and suffocating the victim on July 28, 2020. He is further charged with cyberstalking the victim from July 12, 2020, through July 28, 2020. The FBI and Rogers County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies.

Benjamin Robert Cole Sr. First Degree Murder in Indian Country. Cole Sr., 57, is charged with murdering a Native American 9-month-old child on Dec. 20, 2002. He is currently housed in an Oklahoma Department of Corrections facility. The FBI and Claremore Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Douglas Lee Dixon. Second Degree Murder in Indian Country. Dixon, 28, of Tulsa, is charged with shooting and killing Stanley Watkins on Feb. 20, 2021. The FBI and Vinita Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Ryan Paul Franks. Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition (Counts 1 and 4); Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Count 2); Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime (Count 3). Franks, 34, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing 13 firearms: a Glock G.m.b.H. .40 caliber pistol, a Ruger .44 magnum caliver revolver, a Baikal, 9X19mm caliver pistol, a Fratelli Tanfoglio .380 auto caliber pistol, an Omega . 32 caliber pistol, an Israel Military Industries 9X19mm caliber pistol; a Lorcin, .380 caliber pistol, an Iver Johnson .22 caliber revolver, a Frontier Scout .22 caliber revolver, a Frontier Scout .22 caliber revolver, a charter Arms .22 caliber rifle, an Anderson .223 caliber rifle, a  Remington 12 gauge shotgun, and a Marlin .22 caliber rifle. He also possessed various rounds of ammunition. He is further charged with possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and with possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Jason Wayne Gaghins. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug - Involved Premises. Gaghins is charged with intentionally possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. When agents and officers executed a search warrant on Gaghins’ residence, they allegedly discovered more than 20 kilos of methamphetamine. He is further charged with maintaining a drug involved premises. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements’ Homeland Security Investigations, the Tulsa Police Department, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, and Oklahoma City Police Department are the investigative e agencies.

Josiah Gammill. First Degree Murder in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.  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.The FBI, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Tulsa Police Department and Craig County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies.

Andrew Gibbs. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country (Counts 1-3).  Gibbs, 63, of Sapulpa, allegedly sexually abused two children under 12 years of age. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Eugene Harris. Attempted Robbery in Indian Country. Harris, 31, of Tulsa, is charged with using force and violence to commit robbery outside a Quick Trip on Dec. 29, 2020. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are conducting the investigation.

Andrew Blake Hood. Second Degree Burglary in Indian Country. Hood, 24, of Bixby, is charged with breaking and entering into a residence with intent to steal property in the residence. The FBI and Bixby Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Jeremy Wayne Lewis. Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country; Coercion and Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity. From Feb. 1 through March 13, 2019, Lewis, 22, of Claremore, is alleged to have sexually abused a minor between 12 and 16 years of age. He is also charged with using his cell phone to entice the minor to engage in sexual activity. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Catoosa Police Department, and Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation are the investigative agencies.

Sonny Ray McCombs, Chekota Leetaft Whitetree. Robbery in Indian Country; Theft in Indian Country; Eluding Police Officers in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country; Using, Carrying, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. McCombs, 30, of Tulsa, and Whitetree, 25, in Okla DOC facility, are charged with aiding and abetting one another when violently forcing a victim out of her 2015 Nissan Sentra in a carjacking on Dec. 15, 2016.  The victim was drug approximately 20 feet while she tried to free herself from the vehicle when the defendants started driving away with her car. 

In this superseding indictment, McCombs and Whitetree are also charged with theft for shoplifting clothes, face masks and two BB guns valued at $519.10 at Academy Sports the same evening. Later, Tulsa Police officers located the stolen Nissan from the carjacking and attempted to conduct a traffic stop.  Whitetree allegedly sped away, leading officers on a high-speed chase. During the pursuit, McCombs and Whitetree allegedly aided and abetted one another, discharging a firearm at officers. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Daniel Edrick Miller. Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country (Counts 1 and 2); Assault of an Intimate Partner and Dating Partner by Strangling and Suffocating in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Miller, 34, of Tulsa, allegedly raped a female victim from Feb. 26, 2021, through Feb. 27, 2021 (Counts 1 and 2). He threatened the victim with a firearm. He is further charged with strangling the victim during that time period. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Williams Dwayne Myers. Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country; Assault of an Intimate Partner and Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country. Myers, 37, of Sapulpa, is charged with assaulting an intimate partner, by striking her with his head and hands and violently throwing the victim to the ground causing serious bodily injury on March 23, 2021. He is further charged with strangling the victim. The FBI, Sapulpa Police Department, and Muscogee (Creek) Nation Tribal Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Michael Joseph Pointer. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country; Carjacking; Kidnapping in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.  Pointer, 42, of Sand Springs, is charged with kidnapping a former intimate partner using force and intimidation and driving her around Tulsa in her vehicle. At one point, the victim was able to break away from Pointer and run into a convenience store where she hid in a bathroom. A store employee called authorities. Tulsa Police officers responded to the call, located the vehicle and conducted a high-risk traffic stop. Officers allegedly located a 12-gauge shot gun and ammunition in the vehicle. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Terrance Dujuan Reed.  Assault of an Intimate Partner by Strangling, Suffocating, and Attempting to Strangle and Suffocate in Indian Country. Reed, 29, of Tulsa, is charged with strangling and suffocating an intimate partner on Feb. 16, 2020. See the initial press release announcing charges by criminal complaint. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Michael Joe Rice. First Degree Murder in Indian Country; Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country. Rice, 58, in Okla DOC facility, is charged with killing the victim, Ruth Rice, by beating her about the head and body on Aug. 4, 2011, in Welch. During the assault, he is also alleged to have raped the victim. The FBI, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and Craig County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies.

Tosha Renee Walker, Robert Anthony Summers. Robbery in Indian Country (Counts 1 and 5); Kidnapping in Indian Country (Counts 2 and 6); Carjacking (Counts 3 and 7); Use or Carry a Firearm During a Crime of Violence (Counts 4 and 8).  On Aug. 2, 2020 Walker, 34, of Wagoner, allegedly aided and abetted others when robbing a victim using violence and intimidation (Count 1). She is further charged with aiding and abetting others to kidnap the victim (Count 2). Walker and Summers, 33, of Tulsa, are both charged with aiding and abetting each other to commit a carjacking (Count 3). The pair allegedly drove around with the victim in her vehicle. The victim was eventually able to get away from the defendants who drove off with her Kia Forte. The two allegedly carried a firearm during and in relation to the carjacking (Count 4).

In a separate incident, Walker is charged with aiding and abetting others to rob a victim using violence and intimidation on Dec. 25, 2020, taking items from the victim’s apartment (Count 5). The victim was restrained with duct tape during the incident. Walker is also charged aiding and abetting others to kidnap the victim (Count 6). She is further charged with aiding and abetting another to carjack the victim, leaving the scene with the victim’s Subaru Impreza (Count 7). Finally, Walker is charged with aiding and abetting another when she carried a firearm during and in relation to the carjacking (Count 8). The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Three defendants have pleaded guilty to methamphetamine charges that resulted from an investigation conducted by the Tulsa Housing Authority Community Enhancement Unit and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Albert Douglas Parker, 35, and Tina Marie Tankersley, 33, pleaded guilty to conspiring with Charles Studie and others to distribute pure methamphetamine and to maintaining their public housing unit as a drug involved premises to use and distribute methamphetamine. Marty Jay Foster, 53, pleaded guilty to maintaining a drug involved premises to use methamphetamine.

“The Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, DEA, and my office dismantled this methamphetamine distribution operation, and these defendants now face time in federal prison for their crimes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The law enforcement community remains committed to protecting families living within Tulsa’s neighborhoods from this deadly drug and from the violence that accompanies methamphetamine distribution.”

Parker and Tankersley admitted that they intentionally conspired with others to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute the drug from June 2019 to August 2020. The two defendants’ involvement required the participation, direction, and action of others, and all parties worked together for their shared mutual benefit, including monetary profit and drugs. The two further admitted to maintaining their public housing unit for the purpose of distributing and using methamphetamine beginning on Nov. 15, 2019. Parker will be sentenced June 29, 2021, and Tankersley will be sentenced July 2, 2021.

Foster pleaded guilty to maintaining a drug-involved premises for the purpose of using methamphetamine from June 2019 to August 2020. Sentencing is set for June 30, 2021.

Also named in the indictment is Charles Dean Studie, 36, of Tulsa, who pleaded guilty on Jan. 28, 2021, to drug conspiracy, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He will be sentenced May 26, 2021.

The Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Tulsa County Sheriff’s Deputies that make up the Tulsa Housing Authority Community Enhancement Unit pursued this investigation as part of their responsibility to ensure the safety and security of the families that live within the Tulsa Housing Authority complexes. The Community Enhancement Unit (CEU) was created through a partnership between the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office and the Tulsa Housing Authority.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Nassar and Ryan Heatherman are prosecuting the case.

A Tulsa man was sentenced Wednesday in federal court for distribution of heroin, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III sentenced Jimmie Luna III, 56, of Tulsa, to 96 months in federal prison followed by 10 years of supervised release. When determining the sentence, Judge Heil also considered the extensive history and nature of Luna’s prior convictions.

On June 5, 2020, Tulsa County Deputies attempted to serve a felony arrest warrant on Luna. Deputies located Luna at a local hotel, and after arriving saw the defendant’s girlfriend exit the room. Deputies approached her and asked if she had any drugs.  She told them she had drugs that belonged to Luna who was in the hotel room and  retrieved multiple baggies from her bra: five baggies containing brown and black tar heroin and another containing Alprazolam, also known as Xanax. Luna had directed her to dispose of the drugs. 

The Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Nasar and Joel-lyn McCormick prosecuted the case.

A man has been charged in federal court for shooting a woman Saturday near Sheridan Road and Interstate 244, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Isaiah Matthew Drywater, 23, was charged by criminal complaint with shooting with intent to kill in Indian Country and with being an unlawful user of controlled substances in possession of a firearm. He is scheduled to make an initial appearance today in federal court at 2 pm.

On March 27, 2021, just after 7 pm, Tulsa police officers responded to the shooting. Officers observed two individuals lying on the ground, including a female victim who had sustained four gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to a hospital for care. Drywater, whose clothing matched the description reported to authorities, was also lying on the ground with a Smith & Wesson 9 mm pistol a few feet away. Officers ran a records check on the firearm and discovered it was reported stolen in October 2020.

According to the charging document, officers spoke to four witnesses during their investigation. One heard the shots and looked in the direction of the crime, seeing a man and woman. He stated that it looked like the male shot the victim and recognized the man as a person called “Happy.” He said he saw “Happy” pulled the trigger then empty his handgun’s magazine. He then saw the man lie on the ground and throw the gun away from himself.

During an interview, officers explained to Drywater they were investigating a shooting and that he was a suspect. The defendant denied shooting anyone but said he thought his friend and her dog had been shot. He said the two had met through a mutual acquaintance. According to court documents, Drywater stated that he had used methamphetamine and PCP that day and that he had a Smith & Wesson 9 mm firearm and almost a full magazine that he carried in his waistband or backpack to conceal it. The defendant explained that he traded drugs and money for the gun. He also allegedly told officers that he remembered hanging out with an acquaintance and the victim and the next thing he remembered was being in a police car. Officers terminated the interview when the defendant asked for an attorney.

This matter will proceed in U.S. District Court in Tulsa, where the criminal 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 Tulsa Police Department is the investigative agency.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Heatherman is prosecuting the case.

A Bristow man was sentenced today for assaulting his former girlfriend and causing substantial bodily injury, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

“The fear and control domestic abusers exert on their victims is terrifying. Bobby Thompson threatened the victim and her family, beat her, and attempted to strangle her,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Thompson will spend the next  24 months in prison where he will no longer be able to intimidate and harm this victim or her family.”

U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III sentenced Bobby Brian Thompson, 39, to 24 months in federal prison followed by three years supervised release.

Thompson pleaded guilty to assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to a spouse, intimate partner, dating partner in Indian Country in December.  In his plea agreement, Thompson admitted that on or about June 11, 2020, in Bristow, Oklahoma, he assaulted his dating partner. Specifically, he admitted to striking the victim with his fists and strangling her. The victim suffered substantial bodily injury as a result of his assault upon her.

The FBI and Bristow Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard M. Cella prosecuted the case.

A man previously convicted in state court of a 2005 triple homicide appeared by video conference at a preliminary hearing today in federal court, said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

“Clarance Goode Jr. has been charged for the 2005 murders of Tara Burchett-Thompson, her daughter Kayla, and Mitch Thompson in Owasso,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “My office is working diligently to ensure that violent criminals are held accountable in light of recent jurisdictional court decisions, and we will do so again in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis Fries, who has more than 35 years of experience bringing violent offenders to justice, will lead the prosecution on behalf of the victims and their families.”

Clarance Rozell Goode Jr., also known as “C-Note,” 44, has been charged with murder in the first degree in Indian Country. Goode’s state conviction was overturned in March based on the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals’ ruling recognizing the Cherokee Nation Reservation had never been disestablished and that crimes occurring on the reservation involving Native American victims or defendants fall under federal and tribal jurisdiction.

Based on evidence presented in the criminal complaint and affidavit, U.S. Magistrate Judge Jodi F. Jane found probable cause to continue to trial and ordered Goode Jr. be held in custody as the case proceeds in federal court.

According to court documents, Goode Jr., along with accomplices Ronald Dwayne Thompson and Kenneth Dominick Johnson entered an Owasso residence and shot and killed the three victims on Aug. 25, 2005. Mitch Thompson and Tara Burchette-Thompson were asleep in the master bedroom, and 10-year-old Kyla Burchett was asleep on a pallet next to their bed when the murders occurred. The child’s primary residence was with her grandparents but had convinced them to let her stay at her mother’s home that night.

The next morning, Kayla Burchett’s grandmother went to the residence to pick up the young girl, discovered the victims and contacted authorities. At the crime scene, multiple 9 mm and .357 Sig Sauer spent cartridges were located in the master bedroom. Other smaller diameter apparent bullet holes were found in the bedroom wall.

During the investigation, authorities discovered an alleged inter-familial dispute, which involved attacks with baseball bats, occurring between the victim Mitch Thompson and Ronald Thompson. Witnesses reported hearing threats made by Ronald Thompson and Clarance Goode Jr. to “even the score” during those attacks, other harassment, and drug transactions.

Tulsa Police officers located Thompson, who allegedly named Goode Jr. and Kenneth Johnson as coconspirators. During an interview, Thompson stated that he went to another room in the house initially until he heard the gun shots and a scream. He stated that he entered the master bedroom where Goode Jr. ordered him, at gunpoint, to fire his weapon, but he claimed he didn’t aim at the victims. Goode Jr. also allegedly told his girlfriend about the killings and told her to “watch the television” if she didn’t believe him.

The FBI is the lead investigative agency in cooperation with the Owasso Police Department, who was the primary investigating department at the time of the crime.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis A. Fries is prosecuting the case.

This matter will proceed in U.S. District Court in Tulsa, where the criminal 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.

A 76-year-old Bartlesville man who downloaded and viewed more than 1200 images and 79 videos of child pornography on his electronic devices pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Richard Lee Ryan Jr. pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III ordered the defendant to self-surrender to the U.S. Marshals Service on April 5, and set sentencing for June 30, 2021.

“Child pornography is not a victimless crime. For nearly a year, Richard Ryan Jr. hid behind a screen and downloaded images of children being exploited and raped. With every download and view, he revictimized those children again and again,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Thanks to our partners at the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations, Mr. Ryan will be held accountable for his actions.”

Ryan Jr. admitted that from June 26, 2019, to June 6, 2020, he knowingly possessed and viewed child pornography, which involved at least one prepubescent minor and a minor that had not attained 12 years of age engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

Investigators initially discovered Ryan Jr. when he uploaded an image of child pornography to a chat on an online messaging app. On June 6, 2020, a federal search warrant was executed at the defendant’s home and numerous electronic devices were seized, five of which contained child pornography. Investigators discovered 79 videos and more than 1200 images depicting child rape and bestiality on the devices.

The FBI and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin D. Hargrove and Christopher J. Nassar are prosecuting the case.

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

Kuna-Gi Lowe pleaded guilty to attempted robbery in Indian Country and assault with a dangerous weapon in Indian Country. According to the written plea agreement, the defendant will be sentenced to 70 months in federal prison. U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III will make the final sentencing determination at hearing set for June 29, 2021.

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.

Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson praised the FBI and Tulsa Police Department for their efforts in bringing Lowe to justice. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross E. Lenhardt is prosecuting the case. Mr. Lenhardt is a prosecutor from the Western District of Pennsylvania. 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 March 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.

Eric Lee Adams. Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force and Threat in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country. Adams, 42, of Pryor, allegedly threatened the victim with a knife, held it to her neck and raped her on Aug. 25, 2020. The Pryor Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.

Ricardo Avalos. Distribution of Methamphetamine; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. Avalos, 21, of Tulsa, is charged with distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on Jan. 14, 2021, and with maintaining a residence to distribute methamphetamine between Jan 14 and March 3, 2021. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Issac Eli Pigeon and Austin Avelar. Robbery in Indian Country; Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Pigeon, 18, and Austin Avelar, 18, both of Tulsa, allegedly aided and abetted one another during a robbery on Jan. 20, 2021.  The two men are also charged with brandishing a firearm during the crime. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.

Eric Steven Bentley, Nicole Marie Dileva, Derrick Wayne Deeds. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crimes; Felon in Possession of Firearms. Bentley, 34, Dileva, 34, and Deeds, 36, all of Bakersfield, California, are alleged to have aided and abetted each other to knowingly possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on Oct. 31, 2020. They are also charged with knowingly possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl on Oct. 31, 2020. The trio are also charged possession of firearms to further their drug trafficking crimes: a Herman Weihrauch .38 Special caliber revolver and a Jimenez Arms, Inc., 9mm Luger caliber semi-automatic pistol. Finally, Bentley is also charged with being a felon in possession of firearms. The Mannford Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.

Christine Marie Bowman and Rommel A. Navarro Jr. Child Abuse in Indian Country (COUNTS 1 and 2). Bowman and Navarro Jr. are each charged with aiding and abetting one another to commit child abuse. The defendants willfully and maliciously harmed and threatened harm to the health, safety, and welfare of a child under the age of 18 known to the Grand Jury, by striking and beating the child with a closed fist, belt, and hanger, and by wounding the child’s arms, abdomen, back, and legs. Navarro is also accused of feeding the child hot sauce. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.

Matthew Dewane Carter, Donovan Dale Freeman, Courtney Rochelle Littlefield, Jonathan Michael Griffin, and Caleb Ross Lewis. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country (2nd superseding). Carter, 32, of Pryor, Freeman, 28, of Choteau, Littlefield, 30, of Pryor,  Griffin, 36, of Madill, and Lewis, 44, of Pryor, are charged with conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Carter is charged with possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Aug. 23, 2019, and Freeman and Littlefield are also charged with possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Jan. 22, 2020. Finally, Carter is charged with assaulting an individual on Feb. 25, 2020, while in the Mayes County jail. The Mayes County Sheriff’s Office and Pryor Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Edgar Chairez, Jaylene Algarin-Mora, First Name/Last Name Unknown aka Lupita. Drug Conspiracy; Distribution of Heroin; Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. Chairez, 19, of Tulsa, and FNU LNU aka Lupita are charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin. Chairez is charged with knowingly distributing heroin on Nov 18, 2020, and with knowingly possessing with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin on March 2, 2021. Chairez and Algarin-Mora,19, of Tulsa, are charged with maintaining a residence to for the purpose of manufacturing, distributing and using marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, and lysergic acid diethylamide. The Tulsa Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration are the investigative agencies.

Pamela Kathryn Conley. Bank Fraud (Counts 1-20); Aggravated Identity Theft (Counts 21-23) (superseding). In this superseding indictment, Conley, 58, of Catoosa, has been charged with defrauding ten Oklahoma banks when she falsified and submitted documents to apply for $879,015.02 in loans. From September 2016 to Feb. 23, 2021, Conley allegedly executed a scheme to enrich herself by knowingly submitting loan applications containing false income and employment information at ten banks and credit unions. According to the indictment, Conley forged earning statements which she provided to the financial institutions as proof of income. Conley falsified the statements to reflect that she held positions such as manager and chief financial officer, earning a salary of $200,000 or more annually or $18,000 a month.

The indictment alleges that on occasion, when loans were secured with collateral, Conley created fictitious lien releases for the collateral, using the notarized signature of unwitting financial institution employees. Conley then caused the bogus lien releases to be filed with the Oklahoma Tax Commission, which in turn provided Conley with titles to the collateral, free and clear of any liens.  Conley would then approach new lenders to obtain loans secured by collateral she did not own free and clear.  IRS-Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Secret Service are the investigative agencies. 

Johnny Little Cook. Murder – First Degree in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. On Feb 24, 2021, Cook, 43, of Tulsa, allegedly shot and killed Xzavior Frost. He is further charged with discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.

Kevin Tyler Foster. Murder – First Degree in Indian Country; Tampering with Documents and Proceedings by Corruptly Altering, Destroying, Mutilating, and Concealing a Record, Document, and Other Object. Foster, 35, of Bixby, is charged with deliberately and with premeditation shooting and killing Rick Swan on Nov. 15, 2018. He is further charged with setting fire to the victim’s recreational vehicle and body with intent to make it unavailable as evidence in the investigation. The Rogers County Sheriff’s Office and FBI are the investigative agencies.

Marvell William Gant. Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Gant, 39, of Memphis, Tennessee, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Hi-Point 9x19mm semi-automatic rifle. The Tulsa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.

Omar Heriberto Garcia-Luna. Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien; Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by an Alien Illegally in the United States (superseding). Garcia-Luna, 20, of Tulsa, was allegedly found to be in the United States illegally after being deported in April 2020. He is further charged with being a felon in possession of a CANIK 9 mm semi-automatic pistol and 18 rounds of ammunition. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.

Christopher Hanks; Leonard Loyd Martin; Billie Jo Bunch. Hanks, 47, of Casa Grande, Arizona, and Martin, 59, and Bunch, 39, both of Mountain View, Missouri, are charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office, and Oklahoma City Police Department conducted the investigation.

Shane Michael Hannaford. Bank Fraud (Counts 1-10). Hannaford, 39, of Tulsa, allegedly planned and executed multiple schemes to defraud investors and their banks of approximately $607, 170.61. The FBI is the investigative agency.

Joseph Alfred Hansen. Second Degree Murder in Indian Country; Assault with Intent to Commit Murder; Carrying, Using, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Hanson, 33, of Kansas, Oklahoma, is charged with willfully engaging in a felony that resulted in the death of Trifton Wacoche on Nov. 1, 2020. Hanson is further charged with aiding and abetting Wacoche in an assault with intent to kill another individual. He is further charged with carrying and discharging a firearm during the crime. The Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, Mayes County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI are the investigative agencies.

Thelma Marie Karty. Child Abuse in Indian Country; Child Neglect in Indian Country; Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury in Indian Country.  On March 11, 2020, Karty, 38, of Tulsa, allegedly assaulted a minor with a wooden stick, resulting in substantial bodily injury. She is also charged with child neglect. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.

Jacob Patrick Krafft. Murder- Second Degree. Jacob Krafft, 39, of Helena, is charged with shooting and killing the victim with a rifle on Oct. 21, 2016. The Broken Arrow Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.

Brieanna Alyn Long. Threatening to Engage in Conduct Which Would Cause Bodily Injury to a Witness. Between Feb. 1 and Feb 20, 2021, Long, 22, of Reeds, Missouri, knowingly threatened to engage in conduct which would cause bodily injury to a witness who provided information to law enforcement relating to the possible commission of a federal offense. The FBI is the investigative agency.

Roberto Montel Madden; Cheetara Denise Venable. Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition (Counts 1, 3, 4); Felon in Possession of Ammunition (Count 2) (superseding). Madden, 47, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Beretta .40 S&W caliber pistol and ammunition and with being a felon in possession of 17 rounds of .40 S&W caliber ammunition discovered on Nov. 26, 2020. He is also charged with being a felon in possession of a Taurus 9mm caliber semi-automatic pistol, six rounds of 9mm Luger caliber ammunition, and one round of 9 mm caliber ammunition as aided by Venable and discovered on Jan. 18, 2021. Venable, 34, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Taurus 9mm caliber semi-automatic pistol, six rounds of 9mm Luger caliber ammunition, and 1 round of 9 mm caliber ammunition as aided by Madden. The Tulsa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.

James Damien McIntosh. Sexual Abuse by Threat in Indian Country; Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country; Incest in Indian Country; Attempted Coercion and Enticement and Coercion and Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity. Between March 18, 2015, and Dec. 10, 2019, McIntosh, 43, of Tulsa, allegedly sexually abused a minor between the ages of 12 and 17. The defendant threatened the minor, forcing her to engage in sexual acts with him. Finally, he also used a cell phone and messaging app as part of his crimes. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.

Badlands Justice McNally. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime. On March 16, 2021, McNally, 29, of Tulsa, allegedly possessed with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and possessed firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, Tulsa Police Department and U.S. Customs and Border Protection are the investigative agencies.

Johnny Edward Mize, Jr. Murder- Second Degree in Indian Country. Mize Jr., 35, of Tulsa, is charged with shooting and killing a Native American juvenile on July 4, 2017. The Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office and FBI are the investigative agencies.

Carl Gene Ortner, Jr. Transportation with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity; Sexual Abuse of a Child in Indian Country; Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country; Possession of Parts of a Bald Eagle; Possession of Parts of a Golden Eagle (superseding). Ortner Jr., 57, of Quapaw, is charged with abusing a minor between 12 and 16 years of age and illegally possessing feathers, talons and heads from seven bald eagles and seven golden eagles. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service - Office of Law Enforcement, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department, FBI, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs are the investigative agencies.

Edward Joseph Parson. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country. Parson, 30, of Tulsa, is charged with sexually abusing a minor under the age of 12-years-old from Jan 1, 2018, to March 2019. The FBI is the investigative agency.

Elverio Pascual, Leticia Aguirre, Enrique Esquivel-Nieto, Nicholas Lee Givens. Drug Conspiracy. Pascual, 34, and Aguirre, 41, both residing in Oklahoma Department of Corrections facilities; Givens, 41, residing in an Oklahoma jail; and Esquivel-Nieto, 26, of Plano, Texas, are charged with conspiring to distribute or possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The FBI, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Gray County Sheriff’s Office in Texas, Tulsa Police Department, and Oklahoma City Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Michael Douglas Provence. Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to an Intimate Partner and Dating Partner in Indian Country; Assault of an Intimate Partner and Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle and Suffocate in Indian Country; Assault With a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country. Provence, 43, of Sapulpa, charged with assaulting a female victim by striking her with his fist and wooden broom handle as well as strangling the victim on Dec. 14, 2018. The Sapulpa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.

Bobby Dwain Schrimsher, Jr. Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crimes. Schrimsher Jr., 26, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly possessing with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine. He is further charged with maintaining a residence for the purpose of distributing and using heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine. Finally, he is charged with possessing a firearm to further his drug trafficking crimes. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.

Jonhron Starks. Murder- Second Degree in Indian Country. Starks, 27, of Tulsa, is charged with shooting and killing Dre’Leigha Everidge-Taylor on Sept. 19, 2020. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.

Christopher L. Weeley. Murder – Second Degree in Indian Country; Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. On March 6, 2021, Weeley, 41, of Jay, is alleged to have shot and killed Annie Marie Weeley. He further shot a second victim with intent to commit murder. The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office and FBI conducted the investigation.

Kamau Jahi Williams. Distribution of Methamphetamine. Williams, 42, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly distributing methamphetamine.

TULSA, Okla.– Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson has released the following statement:

“On behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the family of Corporal Kyle Davis, who served his community in law enforcement for 13 years. We stand with you and with the men and women of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in mourning a tremendous loss. Members of law enforcement purposefully risk their lives each and every day they go to work so that we all can live in the safety and security of our homes and communities.”

A Tulsa man has been charged in federal court for a murder that occurred in Craig County on March 21, 2021, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Josiah Gammill was charged with murder in the first degree in Indian Country and made an initial appearance today at 2 pm in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul J. Cleary.

Law enforcement discovered the victim’s body along with two expended shotgun shell hulls and the victim’s wallet and cellphone on County Road E 260, near an intersection with County Road S 4440. The victim was found with a gunshot wound to his abdomen. The crime was committed within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation.

According to the criminal complaint, Gammill, the victim and two other passengers were traveling on the road and stopped the vehicle for a short break. Shortly after the group got out of the car, Gammill is alleged to have retrieved a shotgun from the trunk of the vehicle, walked toward the victim and fired two shots into the victim’s torso. Gammill and the others reportedly drove away from the scene and returned to Tulsa.  

During the investigation, Tulsa Police detectives and agents and officers assigned to the FBI’s Safe Trails Task Force located multiple items allegedly linking the defendant to the murder, including burned clothing remnants, a shotgun shell, and a shotgun. The Tulsa Police Department’s Fugitive Squad arrested the defendant in his room at the Tulsa Inn and Suites.

This matter will proceed in U.S. District Court in Tulsa, where the criminal 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, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Tulsa Police Department and Craig County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra Urban is prosecuting the case.

A drunk driver who killed a woman in a 2019 collision pleaded guilty today to second degree murder in Indian Country, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Hector Manuel Hernandez, 36, of Tulsa, 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 previously convicted for DUI in Rogers County in 2007.

“Hector Hernandez made a series of incredibly selfish choices on Nov. 26, 2019. He drove with a blood alcohol level three times the legal limit, erratically sped away after causing one accident, then crossed the center line and took Jennifer Holt’s life,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “I appreciate the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Bish who secured today’s conviction for Jennifer and her family.  Hernandez is scheduled to be sentenced on June 29.”

The Broken Arrow Police Department, FBI and Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Bish is prosecuting the case. AUSA Bish is from the Western District of New York. 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.

A man who pointed a gun at civilians and in the direction of a Broken Arrow police officer was sentenced today in federal court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan sentenced Jonathan David Kelley, 36, of Tulsa, to 55 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. In November, Kelley pleaded guilty to being a felon and drug user in possession of a firearm.

“Jonathan Kelley is a convicted felon and methamphetamine user and as such, is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm. He was a danger to the public and law enforcement officers serving our communities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Now, he is no longer a threat because violating federal firearms laws has serious consequences. He will serve more than five years in prison for his crimes. I am thankful for the officers and agents of the Broken Arrow and Tulsa Police Departments and ATF, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Morgan, who leads our 2150 Initiative. Their work is critical to protecting Oklahomans and reducing gun crime in our communities.”

Broken Arrow Police Officers encountered Kelley disoriented and waving around a gun in public on Sept. 5, 2020. The defendant also pointed the gun at two civilians earlier in the day. During the incident, Kelley refused the officers’ commands to drop the firearm and continued walking away, cycling the firearm and telling officers he “had a round in the chamber.” Kelley also pointed his gun in the direction of an officer who arrived during the incident. Officers were eventually able to apprehend and arrest the defendant safely and collect the Glock 17 pistol with a round in the chamber.

According to the government’s sentencing motion, Tulsa police officers had also responded to a domestic violence call involving Kelley and his gun on Aug. 29, 2020.

The Broken Arrow Police Department, Tulsa Police Department, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark R. Morgan prosecuted the case.

Kelley was prosecuted as part of the 2150 Initiative, a collaborative effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma, Tulsa Police Department, ATF, and all other local, state, tribal and federal law enforcement partners to combat violent crime by focusing efforts on prohibited persons in possession of firearms as well as those responsible as the “source” of the firearms to prohibited persons. The initiative was named in memory of Tulsa Police Sergeant Craig Johnson. Sgt. Johnson’s badge number, 2150, was selected for the initiative as a way to honor his life and his commitment to the Tulsa community. This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.

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

Oscar Manuel Cabrera-Westerheidy, 37, of Tulsa, pleaded guilty to 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.

“Oscar Cabrera-Westerheidy took advantage of a position of trust and sexually abused this child for nine years. Thankfully, in an act of courage done to protect others, she spoke out against her abuser,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “I am proud of the prosecutors in my office and our partners at the FBI and Tulsa Police Department who brought this predator to justice.”

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

U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan set sentencing for June 17, 2021.

The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chantelle D. Dial is prosecuting 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 (Creek) Nation and Cherokee Nation Reservations. Ms. Dial recently extended six more months to assist with the mission.

A man convicted in Creek County for a murder that occurred during a 2015 robbery was charged in federal court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. The defendant’s state conviction was dismissed today by the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals for lack of jurisdiction.

Arnold Dean Howell Jr., 27, was charged by criminal complaint with murder in the first degree in Indian Country.

Because Howell is an enrolled tribal member and the crime occurred within the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, the state conviction was vacated and ordered dismissed.

According to federal court documents, Howell and his sister Katherine Freeman, conspired to rob the victim at his home in Sapulpa. Investigators allege that during the robbery, Freeman held the victim at gunpoint with one of the victim’s rifles then Howell directed her to get a knife from the kitchen. He is alleged to have repeatedly stabbed the victim. When the knife broke, another was retrieved, and Howell continued his attack causing the victim’s death. Howell and Freemen stole, among other things, the victim’s vehicle, wallet, watch, two rifles, and laptop.

The victim was found deceased the next day during a welfare check, and his vehicle was later discovered abandoned in Tulsa.

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Creek County Sheriff’s Office, Sapulpa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cymetra M. Williams and Christopher M. Kelly are prosecuting the case.

This matter will proceed in U.S. District Court in Tulsa, where the criminal 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.

A Tulsa man has been charged in federal court for assaulting and strangling his former intimate partner, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Terrance DuJuan Reed, 29, was charged by criminal complaint with assault of an intimate partner by strangling, suffocating, or attempting to strangle or suffocate in Indian Country. The crime occurred in Tulsa within the Cherokee Nation Reservation.

According to the complaint and affidavit, Reed asked for a ride when the victim picked up her two minor children from his mother’s home on Feb. 16, 2020. During the car ride, Reed began yelling and questioning the victim about a recent trip she took with friends and once they arrived at his destination demanded to check her text messages. Following the victim’s refusal to hand over her cell phone, Reed allegedly punched the victim, dragged her from the car and began to strangle the victim with his hands. He then allegedly 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 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 (Creek) Nation and Cherokee Nation Reservations. Ms. Williams recently extended six more months to assist with the mission.

This matter will proceed in U.S. District Court in Tulsa, where the criminal 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.

A Sapulpa man pleaded guilty today in federal court for sexually abusing a 7-year-old child, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson

Casey Brandon Peterson, 35, pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact with a child under 12 years of age.

In a written plea agreement, Casey Peterson stated that one time, between June 2019 and October 2019, he knowingly engaged in sexual contact with the child. Peterson admitted that he pulled down the victim’s pants and underwear and made sexual contact with the child. He then told the victim not to tell anyone.

Authorities were alerted in February 2020 when the victim saw the defendant again for the first time in several months, started crying and disclosed to a parent the acts that Peterson committed.

Chief U.S. District Judge John E. Dowdell set sentencing for June 14, 2021.

The FBI and Sapulpa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina S. Gilmore is prosecuting the case.

A Tulsa man was sentenced today in federal court for involuntary manslaughter in Indian Country after killing Barry James Harrell during a brief altercation in downtown Tulsa, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Harlan Frank Hardiman, 51, to 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

“Harlan Hardiman punched Barry Harrell in the head and walked away. When Mr. Harrell fell, his head struck the concrete, and he lay unconscious for 15 minutes before being discovered by a Tulsa police officer. He later died as a result of the injuries sustained at the hands of the defendant,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Harlan Hardiman will now spend the next two years in federal prison for his actions. I am thankful for the Tulsa Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Fletcher who pursued justice for the victim and his family.”

At a November plea hearing, Hardiman admitted that on Sept. 3, 2020, he punched Harrell in the head at the downtown Tulsa Transit bus terminal located at 319 S. Denver Ave. As a result of the punch, the victim fell and hit his head on the concrete sidewalk. Harrell subsequently died of a massive head bleed, called a subdural hematoma.

The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Fletcher is 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 the increased volume of cases since the Supreme Court’s ruling which stated the Creek Nation Reservation had never been officially disestablished by Congress. The United States and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation have jurisdiction of all cases that occur on the reservation involving Native American victims or defendants.

“The men and women of the U.S. Attorney’s Office have worked tirelessly to pursue justice and support victims of crime, and we will continue to do so in response to the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals’ ruling in Hogner v. Oklahoma,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “So far in 2021, the Northern District of Oklahoma has welcomed a team of new Assistant U.S. Attorneys, legal support staff and victim specialists to help address the increased caseload resulting from the changing jurisdictional landscape in Oklahoma, and we continue to advocate for more federal resources. A group of federal prosecutors, operating since the McGirt decision, has also been charged with reviewing cases that occur on Cherokee Nation lands involving Native American defendants or victims. These prosecutors will either refer the cases to Cherokee Nation for prosecution or accept them for federal prosecution. Rest assured, our office will work in close partnership with local District Attorneys, the Cherokee Nation Attorney General as well as local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies to ensure the continued provision of public safety for the people of northeastern Oklahoma.”

Jared Andrew Evans and Lakota Ray Scott were sentenced today in federal court in separate domestic violence cases, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

“In both of these cases, the defendants chose to put their hands around their partners’ necks in an attempt to strangle them. Tragically, domestic abuse often escalates from strangulation to homicide,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This team of federal prosecutors and law enforcement officials will continue to hold accountable perpetrators of domestic violence for the trauma they inflict on their partners, families and communities.”

U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Jared Andrew Evans, 29, of Sapulpa, to 40 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to an intimate partner and dating partner in Indian Country.

Evans admitted that on May 22, 2020, he struck his girlfriend in the back of the head, knocking her down to the ground and resulting in a laceration. He also attempted to strangle the victim and kicked her in the stomach, causing her to throw up.

The FBI and Sapulpa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Reagan V. Reininger prosecuted the case.

Lakota Ray Scott, 34, of Tulsa, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for domestic assault by strangulation in Indian Country and for robbery in Indian Country. Further, Scott agreed to take part in a drug and alcohol treatment program while imprisoned.

In 2017, Scott, a member of the Cherokee Nation, received a three-year deferred probation sentence from the state for the crimes, but she later requested her case be dismissed based on the Supreme Court’s jurisdictional decision in McGirt v Oklahoma. Once the case was dismissed, the United States filed charges against the defendant.

At a December plea hearing, Scott explained that on March 16, 2016, during an argument, Scott tackled the victim in the living room and strangled the victim. Scott also grabbed a flat screen television and smashed it over the victim’s head twice.

Scott further admitted to stealing a pick-up truck that was idling while the owner was just a few feet away on Jan. 31, 2019. When the owner saw the defendant in his truck, Scott locked the doors and put the vehicle in drive. The owner jumped into the bed of the truck and Scott drove off erratically and in a dangerous manner. The victim was thrown around in the truck bed during the ride and believed that Scott was trying to intentionally throw him out of the bed of the truck. The victim’s hands, legs, chest and head were injured. Scott then crashed the truck into a fence and ran. She was eventually found in a parking garage, hiding from authorities.

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

A Talala man who knowingly wrote counterfeit checks to purchase vehicles at dealerships in Tulsa, Sand Springs, and Collinsville was sentenced in federal court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

“Scotty Belcher passed a series of counterfeit checks, totaling $159,490, to Oklahoma businesses for the purchase of multiple vehicles and equipment,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Thanks to the hard work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles McLoughlin, the U.S. Secret Service, FBI, and  the Tulsa, Sand Springs and Collinsville Police Departments, this fraudster and counterfeit check writer was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison.”

U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Scotty Lee Belcher, 31, also known as “Native,” to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Frizzell further ordered the defendant to pay $2,541.40  to Synergy Motor Works of Tulsa for safety equipment as well as damage costs to two of the motorcycles obtained with counterfeit checks. By the close of April, the Court will also determine the final restitution amount to be paid to Kent’s Custom Cars of Collinsville. The other dealerships recovered their vehicles with no financial losses.

Belcher previously pleaded guilty to one count of possessing and uttering a forged security in the amount of $37, 800 for the purchase of motorcycles at a Tulsa dealership, and to counterfeit forfeiture.

In his written plea agreement, Belcher admitted to fraudulently purchasing four motorcycles, safety equipment, and requested modifications from a dealership in Tulsa. On Aug. 21, 2020, he made payments using three counterfeit checks in the amounts of $37,800, $31, 800 and $2, 240. Belcher told the dealership that the funds came from a trust. The dealership contacted Wells Fargo to confirm the check was on an active account, and Belcher provided the information needed to ensure the purchase went forward. He then signed for the motorcycles and left with three along with the safety equipment. In his statement, Belcher explained that he knew the checks were counterfeit and that his intent was to fool the dealership into believing the checks were legitimate. Belcher also acknowledged that he committed further crimes at three other dealerships.

While Belcher was on bond for writing counterfeit checks at two dealerships in 2019, he purchased two other vehicles at dealerships using separate counterfeit checks on Dec. 9, 2019. After he purchased a 2014 Chevrolet pickup and drove off the lot, the owner of the dealership realized the check was no good and reported the crime to the Tulsa Police Department. Later the vehicle was spotted in traffic by a dealership employee. Tulsa Police responded but lost Belcher. He was located by air in the department’s helicopter, and officers were directed to the defendant’s final location at the Osage Casino in Sand Springs, where he was arrested after being pursued by police canine units.

The U.S. Secret Service, FBI, Tulsa Police Department, Sand Springs Police Department, and Collinsville Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. McLoughlin prosecuted the case.

Acting United States Attorney Clint Johnson announced today the results of the March 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 beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumptions of innocence.

Pedro Santiago Cabrera, Rolando Reyna Reyes, Desiree Loraine Castaneda, Erneesto Cerda, Jorge Guerrero Perez, Gabriel Vidales-Moreno, Carlos Yepez, Gerardo Yepez and Jorge Yepez. Drug Conspiracy; Possession With Intent to Distribute and Distribution of Methamphetamine; Maintaining a Drug Involved Premises; Use of a Communication Facility in Committing, Causing, and Facilitating the Commission of a Drug Trafficking Felony. Pedro Santiago Cabrerra, 36, Rolando Reyna Reyes, 34; Desiree Loraine Castaneda, 33; Erneesto Cerda, age unknown; Jorge Guerrero Perez, 41; Gabriel Vidales-Moreno 41; Carlos Yepez, 41; Gerardo Yepez, 35; and Jorge Yepez, 25, are charged with conspiring to manufacture, to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. All male defendants are unlawfully residing in the United States. Castaneda is a U.S. citizen. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Tulsa Police Department, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, and Broken Arrow Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Dustin Lee Dennis; Michael Scott Dennis. Child Neglect in Indian Country (4 counts); Use of a Communication Facility in Committing, Causing, and Facilitating the Commission of a Drug Trafficking Felony  (12 counts) (superseding). From June 12 to June 13, 2020, Dustin Dennis, 32, of Tulsa, allegedly failed to provide adequate care for his two children, who died while under his supervision. During the same timeframe, Dustin Dennis is further charged with failing to protect his children from exposure to the use, possession and sale of illegal drugs and illegal activities. Further, Dustin Dennis and his brother Michael Dennis, 49, of Tulsa, are charged with use of a communication facility in committing, causing, and facilitating the commission of a drug trafficking felony on June 12 and June 13 and other dates alleged in the indictment. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Find the initial complaint press release here.

Teddy Charles Devore; Kelly Eugene Wren. Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. Devore, 35, of Wichita, Kansas, and Wren, 42, of Bartlesville, are each charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The Bartlesville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation.

Jordan Taylor Kuykendall. Murder-Second Degree Indian Country. Kuykendall, 24, of Owasso, allegedly killed Charles Botts by stabbing him on May 17, 2020. The FBI and Owasso Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Jaquan Dawante Lee. Burglary in the First Degree in Indian Country; Assault by Strangulation in Indian Country. Lee, 27, of Tulsa, allegedly broke into a home by kicking in the door while the occupants were present. He is further charged with assaulting an intimate partner by attempting to strangle and suffocate her. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Caleb Logan McCabe. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. McCabe, 25, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Century Arms 7.62 x39 semi-automatic rifle, a Taurus 9 mm pistol and 27 rounds of ammunition. The FBI and Bartlesville Police Department are the investigative agencies.

John Andrew Russell. Possession of Methamphetamine With Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug Involved Premises. Russell, 54, is charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on April 3, 2019, and with knowingly using and maintaining a residence in Tulsa for the purpose of distributing methamphetamine. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Michael Sam. Assault With Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Assault With a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country; Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country. Sam, 20, and another individual allegedly aided and abetted each other, with intent to commit murder, when they discharged a round into a vehicle the victim was in on April 8, 2019. The victim was stuck in the back of the head with a bullet. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and FBI are the investigative agencies.

David Edward Sayre Jr. Robbery in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Carjacking in Indian Country; Assault With a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country. On May 25, 2020, Sayre, 28, of Bartlesville, allegedly carjacked an individual using a firearm, and further robbed the victim of his cell phone and car key. During the incident, Sayre allegedly fired multiple rounds at the victim as he ran to safety. The FBI and Bartlesville Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Stephen Lloyd Spangle. Secured Area of an Airport by False Pretenses. Spangle, 47, of Tulsa, is charged with illegally entering a secure area of the Tulsa International Airport. The FBI and Tulsa International Airport Police are the investigative agencies.

Guy Wheeler Turner. Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. Turner, 37, of Ralston, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Winchester .22 caliber rifle and 38 rounds ammunition. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Pawnee Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Lemorris Walton Jr. Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition; Possession of Firearms and Ammunition by an Unlawful User of Controlled Substances; Possession of Methamphetamine With Intent to Distribute; Possession of Cocaine With Intent to Distribute; Possession of Marijuana With Intent to Distribute; Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crimes. Walton Jr., 32, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon and an unlawful drug user in possession of a Herman Weihrauch .38 special revolver, a Maverick 12 gauge shotgun, and 33 rounds of ammunition. According to the indictment, he also possessed with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana. Finally, he is charged with possessing firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Billy John Wells; Maddison Joann Summers. Felon in Possession of a Firearm; Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Methamphetamine With Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crimes and Aiding and Abetting; Felon in Possession of Firearms. In December 2020, Wells, 28, and Summers, 24, both of Tulsa, allegedly conspired together to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The two allegedly maintained a residence for the purpose of using and distributing the methamphetamine and owned at least six firearms to further their trafficking crimes. Firearms included a Ruger .380 auto caliber pistol, a Stoger, 9 mm pistol, a Glock .380 auto caliber pistol, a Sig Sauer 9X19 caliber pistol, a Taurus .40 S&W caliber pistol, and a Colt .22 magnum caliber single-action revolver. Wells is charged with being a felon in possession of a Taurus 9 mm pistol on Nov. 22, 2020, and with being a felon in possession of six firearms on Dec. 18, 2020. Summers is also charged with being a felon in possession of six firearms on Dec. 18, 2020. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation.

Kendall Ray Whitlow. Child Abuse in Indian Country (2 counts); Child Neglect in Indian Country (superseding). Whitlow, 23, of Tulsa, is alleged to have physically abused a child under the age of 18. Further, Whitlow is charged with child neglect. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Tighe Wilson. Child Abuse in Indian Country; Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding in Indian Country. Wilson, 60, of Tulsa, is charged with maliciously harming a child under the age of 18 by striking and beating the child with closed fists, causing wounds to the child’s face. Wilson is also charged with assault by striking, beating, and wounding for violently shoving an intimate partner to the ground during the same incident. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Chadwick Andre Young. Child Abuse in Indian Country. Young, 34, of   Tulsa, is charged with harming a young child when he punched the person holding the child multiple times, causing the child to be injured, including a skull fracture. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

 A 29-year-old Claremore woman has been indicted in federal court for producing child pornography involving her young child, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. 

Brittney Jo Wallace was charged with production of child pornography by a parent and with possession of child pornography. The Court ordered Wallace detained pending trial.

“This Office seeks justice for victims, period. The allegations against Brittney Wallace are heartbreaking, and I have confidence that Assistant U.S. Attorney Tilli Villalobos will fight for this young child and hold the defendant accountable under the law,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “I appreciate the dedicated work of the OSBI Internet Crimes Against Children Unit and Tulsa’s Homeland Security Investigations Child Exploitation Task Force who led this investigation and their commitment to protecting Oklahoma’s children.”

“We are thankful to work with our state and federal partners on behalf of the children of Oklahoma,” said Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Director Ricky Adams. “Through our collaborative efforts at the local, state and federal levels, we will do all we can to protect our children and take child sexual predators off the streets.” 

According to the indictment, Wallace knowingly permitted the young child to engage in sexually explicit activity while she took photos on her cell phone on Sept. 26, 2015. From Sept. 26 to May 13, 2016, Wallace also knowingly possessed with intent to view the child pornography. 

At a detention hearing on March 2, Assistant U.S. Attorney Matilda Villalobos argued the defendant was a danger to the community and should be detained based on her criminal record and evidence she abused her children in 2015 and 2016. AUSA Villalobos stated evidence would show that in 2016, the defendant’s children were taken from the home after a doctor found signs of severe child abuse. Wallace’s parental rights were later terminated. The Court ruled in favor of the United States and ordered the defendant detained.

During the 2016 investigation conducted by the State, authorities seized the defendant’s phone which was later suppressed. Recently, the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals found the seizure and subsequent search of her phone were proper, and it was turned over to investigators. When authorities conducted a forensic examination of the phone, they discovered the alleged child pornography. 

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

On March 1, 2021, the U.S. Marshal Service arrested Wallace on a federal arrest warrant. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Rogers County Sheriff’s Office, and Claremore Police Department  conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matilda Villalobos is prosecuting the case. AUSA Villalobos is a prosecutor from the District of New Mexico. She volunteered to assist prosecution efforts here in the Northern District of Oklahoma due to the increased volume of cases since the Supreme Court’s ruling which stated the Creek Nation Reservation had never been officially disestablished by Congress.

If you suspect a child is being sexually exploited, contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children immediately at 1-800-THE-LOST or cybertipline.org.  You can also contact the OSBI ICAC Unit at (800) 522-8017 or tips@osbi.ok.gov.