Northern District of Oklahoma

A Catoosa woman has been indicted for defrauding seven Oklahoma banks when she falsified and submitted documents to apply for $735,396 in loans, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Pamela Kathryn Conley, 58, is charged with 16 counts of bank fraud and 3 counts of aggravated identity theft.

“Pamela Conley allegedly lied when she applied for more than $735,000 worth of loans, claiming, in part, to make six figures on falsified earning statements,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “White-collar criminals don’t get a pass for the offenses they commit. Agents with the U.S. Secret Service and IRS-Criminal Investigation follow the money and expose their crimes. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is now prepared to hold this alleged white-collar criminal accountable in federal court.”

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 seven 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.  

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

IRS-Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Secret Service are the investigative agencies.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard M. Cella is prosecuting the case

Ten defendants have been charged in a superseding indictment with manufacturing and trafficking methamphetamine throughout the Tulsa Metro area, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

During an early morning law enforcement operation targeting members of the drug trafficking organization, ten individuals were arrested. Eight of the ten arrested were named in the indictment.

“Today our partners at the DEA, Tulsa Police Department, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, Broken Arrow Police Department and Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics executed arrest and search warrants at eight locations in the Tulsa area, resulting in the arrest of ten suspects. During the take down, shots were fired at law enforcement, who then returned fire. Neither suspects nor law enforcement were injured,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “As evidenced by today’s operation and indictment, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement remain intent on disrupting the flow of illicit drugs into our neighborhoods and holding accountable those responsible.”

“This Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) case originated from the discovery of large methamphetamine conversion labs located within Oklahoma. The DEA, Tulsa Police Department and various other state and local counterparts which comprise the DEA Tulsa High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Metro Task Force, won’t tolerate drug trafficking organizations seeking sanctuary in Oklahoma to perform their illegal operations,” said Eduardo A. Chavez, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Dallas Field Division, which covers all Oklahoma operations. “The DEA will utilize all of its resources to ensure drug traffickers are arrested and face prosecution, and this investigation is a clear example of the resolute determination of the agents, investigators, and analysts working to keep Oklahoma a safer place.”

The 16-count indictment, unsealed today, alleges the defendants conspired to manufacture, to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The defendants have been charged with drug conspiracy; possession with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine; maintaining a drug involved premises; and use of a communication facility in committing, causing, and facilitating the commission of a drug trafficking felony. 

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

Those arrested as part of the indictment include:

Arrested today

Desiree Loraine Castaneda, 33,

Ernesto Cerda, age unknown

Jorge Guerrero Perez, 41

Luis Rodriguez, 32

Gabriel Vidales-Moreno 41

Carlos Yepez, 41

Gerardo Yepez, 35

Jorge Yepez, 25

Previously arrested

Pedro Santiago Cabrerra, 36

Rolando Reyna Reyes, 34

Two other individuals not named in the indictment were also arrested today during the operation and will be charged later this week.

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. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ben Tonkin and David Nasar are prosecuting the case.

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

Rafael Maturino, 40, of Broken Arrow, pleaded guilty to bank fraud after executing a scheme to defraud First Bank of Owasso when applying for a Paycheck Protection Program loan under false pretenses on April 28, 2020. As part of the plea, the United States and Maturino agreed to a sentence of 12 months and one day of imprisonment and restitution in the amount of $97,800 to be paid to First Bank of Owasso. U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan will make the final sentencing determination at a hearing set for June 1, 2021.

“Small businesses employ millions of Americans and are the backbone of our communities. The Paycheck Protection Program is designed to assist legitimate small business owners keep their doors open and Americans employed during the current pandemic,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This office along with the Federal Reserve Board Office of Inspector General, Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, and the FBI will continue to bring fraudsters, like Maturino, to justice.”

Maturino applied for a Paycheck Protection Program loan on behalf of a company he claimed to own and operate, Maturino Enterprises, Inc. Maturino submitted forms that misrepresented the company’s payroll expenditures, amount of taxes paid, and the number of people employed.

In his plea agreement, Maturino admitted that he falsely represented in a Paycheck Protection Program “Borrower Application Form” submitted to First Bank of Owasso that Maturino Enterprises had an average monthly payroll of $39,152.92; had 5 employees; and was in operation on February 15, 2020. He further represented that he would use the requested loan funds to retain workers and maintain payroll or make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments, as specified under the Paycheck Protection Program Rule. Maturino then signed the application form certifying the information was truthful.

The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding, and in December 2020, Congress authorized another $284 billion in additional funding.

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

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

A man who was convicted of sexually abusing a child for more than 2 years was sentenced in federal court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Joshua Dale Armstrong, 33, of Tulsa, to 360 months in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Armstrong will also be required to register as a sex offender once released.

“Joshua Armstrong preyed upon a defenseless child and engaged in a horrific pattern of repeated rapes and molestation that lasted years. While there is nothing that can make up for the pain and suffering of the victim in this case, a thirty year sentence reflects the heinousness of Armstrong’s crimes and provides a strong deterrent to others who would seek to victimize children," said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.  "I’m thankful for the child victim in this case, who bravely came forward to report her abuse and allowed Armstrong to be brought to justice.”

In November, Armstrong pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual abuse and to abusive sexual contact of a minor under 12-years-old in Indian Country. From Jan. 1, 2018 to April 16, 2020, Armstrong abused a position of trust to engage in sexual acts with the child.

Armstrong was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prison’s Facility.

The Tulsa Police Department and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Devon Lash and Christopher J. Nassar prosecuted the case.

Today, Clint Johnson assumed the role of Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma.

As Acting U.S. Attorney, Johnson is the chief federal law enforcement officer responsible for all federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation involving the United States in the Northern District of Oklahoma, an area covering eleven counties and including thirteen federally recognized Indian tribes. He leads a staff of more than 100 attorneys and support personnel to accomplish this mission.

“I am honored to lead this incredible office that continues to provide justice to the citizens of the Northern District of Oklahoma,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “I will continue to work with our local, state, federal and tribal partners to ensure the fair administration of justice, and I will continue to advocate for the resources needed to make that happen.”

Most recently, Johnson held the position of First Assistant U.S. Attorney where he supervised the criminal, civil, and administrative divisions for the Northern District of Oklahoma. He further managed the agency’s budget and resources and took an active role in the hiring of personnel and expansion of office space as the U.S. Attorney’s Office was required to grow dramatically to fulfill its public safety mission.

Johnson is a career federal prosecutor with 26 years of experience. He has investigated and prosecuted violent felonies, white-collar offenses, public corruption, drug and gun-related crimes, and human trafficking in the Northern District of Oklahoma. Previously, he served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and Deputy Branch Chief in the District of New Mexico.  Johnson began his legal career as an active duty Army attorney.

Simultaneously, Johnson continues to serve his country in the United States Army Reserve Judge Advocate General’s Corps. As a Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve JAG Corps, he holds the positions of Chief Trial Judge and Commander of the 150th Legal Operational Detachment headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia. Col. Johnson has also served as an instructor at the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s School and the National Judicial College. He is a graduate of the Officer Basic Course, Officer Advanced Course, Command and General Staff College, U.S. Army War College, and Military Judge’s Course.

Johnson is licensed to practice in all federal Courts in the State of Oklahoma, the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, the Army Court of Criminal Appeals, and the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.

He received his law degree from the University of Tulsa College of Law where he served as an editor for the Tulsa Law Journal. He received his master’s degree from the U.S. Army War College and his undergraduate degree from Oklahoma State University.

Johnson will hold the Acting position until the President nominates and the Senate confirms a new U.S. Attorney.

Today marks Trent Shores’ final day of service as United States Attorney. His resignation brings to a close nearly 18 years of federal law enforcement experience. He served the mission of justice under four Presidents and seven United States Attorneys General.

“Serving as United States Attorney has been the privilege of a lifetime. I am humbled to have had the opportunity to contribute to improving public safety in Northern Oklahoma, a community where I grew up and where I have chosen to raise my family. The attorneys and staff of this U.S. Attorney’s Office approach their jobs daily with unparalleled integrity and an unwavering commitment to the rule of law. I’ll sleep well knowing they’re on the job,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Following confirmation by the U.S. Senate, Shores was sworn in as United States Attorney on Sept. 22, 2017. He served as the chief federal law enforcement officer for all federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation in the Northern District of Oklahoma. The district is home to more than 1 million people and covers eleven counties, including thirteen federally recognized Indian tribes. He started his tenure as U.S. Attorney in an office of 47 total attorneys and support staff, and within the next four years, grew the office to more than 100 personnel to meet the substantially increased caseload following a landmark Supreme Court decision. In his dozens of hiring decisions, Shores demonstrated his commitment to building a work force that looks like America, constructing the best qualified, most diverse staff the office has ever had.

“Over the last four years, U.S. Attorney Shores has conducted a master class for leadership. He has proactively sought input and listened to the concerns and ideas of all staff, agency partners and stakeholders,” said Civil Division Chief Cathy McClanahan. “Never one to take a day off, his one aim has always been providing the best service to the people of the Northern District of Oklahoma. All of those who work with Trent understand his great love of justice, as demonstrated by the fact that he has spent half of his life serving in the Department of Justice. On behalf of the Civil Division, I extend my deepest appreciation to Trent for all that he has done for this Division, the entire office and the people of Oklahoma.”

“Law enforcement and our team had the privilege of having Trent lead the Northern District of Oklahoma during times of nationwide unrest, a pandemic and a game changing decision by the Supreme Court in the McGirt case. During his tenure, the U.S. Attorney’s Office doubled in size and more than doubled its case load,” said Criminal Division Chief Allen Litchfield. “It takes a natural born leader to excel in times of great adversity. Trent is that kind of leader. He brought an unwavering sense of commitment to the mission of justice for victims and the citizens he served. His dedication to the Office of the U.S. Attorney and his efforts to ensure justice for all, sets the standard for us all to follow.”

Shores was appointed to the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee, by both Attorneys General Jeff Sessions and William Barr, providing counsel on key policy and operational matters for the Justice Department. He further served on the Attorney General’s domestic violence working group, aimed at keeping guns out of the hands of convicted domestic abusers, using the tools of federal prosecution help prevent domestic violence.

Shores also was named Chair of the Attorney General’s Advisory Subcommittee on Native American Issues (NAIS), a group of United States Attorneys charged with the developing and guiding national policy for Indian Country justice. Known as an expert on Indian Country criminal law, Shores testified before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs to discuss violent crime in Indian Country and of potential legislation to address the problem. He also testified before the United States Sentencing Commission regarding the impact of federal sentencing guidelines on Native Americans in the criminal justice system.

Shores and his NAIS colleagues were instrumental in shaping Attorney General Barr’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Initiative, launched in November 2019. The initiative, in part, placed MMIP coordinators in U.S. Attorney’s offices in 11 states, including Oklahoma, who were charged with developing protocols for a more coordinated law enforcement response to missing cases. 

Shores also hired Patti Buhl, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, to serve as the MMIP Coordinator. Shores and Buhl would soon team up with the leaders of the Cherokee and Muscogee (Creek) Nations to launch the MMIP Tribal Community Response Plan Pilot Project in Oklahoma, the first of six states to launch the project. The goal of the pilot is to establish a collaborative response from tribal governments, law enforcement agencies, and other partners by implementing culturally appropriate draft guidelines when investigating emergent cases of missing and murdered American Indians. Lessons learned will be used to improve the draft guides for developing response plans before they are used across the nation.

Seeking to highlight Tribes in Oklahoma, Shores coordinated a 3-day NAIS meeting and a visit from Attorney General Barr. In 2018, Shores hosted 38 U.S. Attorneys, the Justice Department’s Inspector General, and countless officials from other agencies and tribes from across the country for the NAIS meeting. In 2020, Shores joined with Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. to welcome Attorney General Barr to the Cherokee Nation. Attorney General Barr and Shores met with Cherokee leadership, council members, and marshals to discuss public safety priorities.

Forward leaning and mission oriented, Shores led with intensity and vision. In July 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court found, in McGirt v. Oklahoma, that land historically reserved for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation remained Indian Country so that the Northern District of Oklahoma holds a reservation, including most of Tulsa. Overnight, criminal jurisdiction of thousands of cases involving Native Americans shifted from state courts to federal or tribal courts. Shores and his leadership team proactively advocated for resources and personnel in order to implement the Court’s decision. They called on federal prosecutors and support staff from across the nation for assistance, and 17 volunteers came to Tulsa to assist. In early 2021, the leadership team also hired 13 additional Criminal Division Assistant U.S. Attorneys and support staff, building capacity within the office. In the process, Shores strove to create a culture of professionalism, transparency, and teamwork as attorneys and support staff took on ever-increasing responsibilities. Shores and his team also prioritized collaboration with local law enforcement agencies, training officers on the unique legal considerations of Indian Country and helping to coordinate cross deputization agreements so officers were able to work crimes that occurred on the reservation involving Native American suspects or victims.

Like many Tulsans, Shores was profoundly affected when two Tulsa Police Officers were shot during a traffic stop in 2020. Tragically, Sergeant Craig Johnson lost his life as a result of wounds sustained in the incident. In response, Shores created and launched the 2150 Initiative in partnership with the Tulsa Police Department and ATF. The 2150 Initiative was named for Sgt. Johnson’s badge number as a way of honoring his legacy of service and duty to the citizens of Tulsa. The initiative aimed to remove illegal guns from the street and keep firearms out of the hands of individuals who are prohibited by law from possessing them.

In the last four years, federal prosecutors in the Criminal Division convicted 963 defendants and filed 1,335 cases, many of which are still ongoing in federal court. Under Shores’ leadership, violent crime prosecutions on average nearly doubled when compared to the three years prior, and violent crime rates declined. Shores frequently spoke about the devastating impact violent crime had on communities and its oppression on the opportunities afforded to residents. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prioritized public safety through targeted, impactful prosecutions. For example, through strong partnerships with local, state, and federal law enforcement, the team launched Operation Alpha in 2018. The operation used crime-mapping technology to focus on high volume areas of violent crime in Tulsa over a two-month period, arresting 174 repeat violent offenders, called Alpha criminals, and taking 106 illegal guns off the street. The office further focused on taking firearms out of the hands of individuals who illegally possessed guns, including felons and domestic violence perpetrators, through Project Guardian and the 2150 Initiative. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2020, prosecutors charged 75 individuals with firearms violations. Underscoring importance of these cases, the office prosecuted Jakob Garland, a felon who exchanged a firearm for heroin. The recipient of the firearm was a felon who gunned down two Tulsa Police officers in 2020.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office also significantly increased child exploitation prosecutions under Shores’ leadership. He hired Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chris Nassar and Edward Snow to take on these prosecutions and protect child victims. In July 2019, they teamed up with the Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office, FBI and other law enforcement partners to conduct Operation Independence Day, netting 19 total child predators. Currently, federal prosecutors and 15 local, state, tribal and federal law enforcement agencies are conducting Operation Clean Sweep across the 11 counties in the Northern District of Oklahoma. So far, the operation has charged 18 alleged perpetrators of internet facilitated child exploitation crimes.

Shores also sought to build strong partnerships with law enforcement in the district, offering federal resources as needed. He encouraged every sheriff, chief, and marshal to reach out to him personally to share concerns or to partner with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Shores also offered support to assist law enforcement and social services agencies to apply for millions of dollars in Justice Department grants to pay for resources like crime gun intelligence centers, domestic violence programs, school safety programs and rape kit processing. It was not uncommon to find Shores in a rural county or small town meeting with local law enforcement or joining them to present to local students about the dangers of opioids.

Additionally, Shores expanded the Civil Division by hiring four new Assistant U.S. Attorneys. Over the last four years, the division filed or responded to 2,251 cases. The team’s defensive work saved taxpayers a total of $83,923,856 while affirmative civil enforcement actions totaled $4,593,167. Notably, the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit worked to recover taxpayer dollars lost to fraud by holding accountable medical professionals who accepted illegal kickback payments in return for recommending and prescribing compounded drugs produced by OK Compounding.

Outside the office, Shores engaged with the broader Tulsa community as well as more rural parts of the district. He prioritized community engagement and frequently spoke to citizen groups and students. He championed the American justice system and sought to inspire confidence in the dedicated public officials and civil servants who worked within it- from judges to public defenders to prosecutors. He promoted transparency in law enforcement and created opportunity for dialogue with community organizers. Importantly, he worked with citizen leaders to provide bilingual information on Spanish television and radio, sharing vital education regarding human trafficking, drugs, and illegal arms. Building these connections allowed his office to do justice on behalf of all victims, regardless of race, gender, or immigration status. One public speaking highlight of Shores’ tenure was when he delivered the keynote remarks at the Memorial Day celebration at the Wake Island Memorial in Bristow, Creek County. Shores spoke about the military service of his grandfather, PFC Robert Shores of the U.S. Marine Corp, who fought valiantly defending the island in World War II and survived captivity as a POW for nearly four years. At the conclusion of his remarks, Shores presented to his father an American flag that, with the assistance of U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe, had been flown over the U.S. Capitol in honor of PFC Shores.

Shores started his career as the Deputy Director of the Department of Justice’s Office of Tribal Justice in Washington, D.C. Later as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern and Northern Districts of Oklahoma, he prosecuted human trafficking and child exploitation crimes, international organized crime, and white-collar crimes and public corruption. He also served as the National Security Cyber Specialist, working with the Joint Terrorism Task Force to address cyber-based threats to our national security and attacks on critical infrastructure. 

U.S. Attorney Shores leaves this week after nearly 18 years of service with the Department of Justice. His actions showed a concern for the safety, well-being, and rights of the entire community. By pursuing a mission of liberty and justice for all Oklahomans of all backgrounds, he built trust throughout the community with integrity and accountability to the rule of law.

United States Attorney Trent Shores today announced the results of the February 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.

Carlos Banegas. Felon in Possession of Ammunition. Banegas, 30, is charged with being a felon in possession of 57 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition. The U.S. Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.

Jermaine Dante Barnes. Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition. Barnes, 22, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of a .22 caliber rifle and various kinds of ammunition. Barnes is a 11-time convicted felon. The Tulsa Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.

Jared Nathan Black. Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country. Black, 45, of Jenks, is charged with assault with intent to commit murder after he allegedly pointed a firearm at the victim’s head and pulled the trigger. The FBI and the Jenks Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Nathan James Blaine. Sexual Exploitation of a Child by a Parent or Guardian. Blaine, 52, of Grove, allegedly permitted a minor in his care to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purposes of producing visual depictions of that conduct to share with others. The Grove Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations are the investigative agencies.

Jose Carbajal-Solis. Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.

Solis, 27, was allegedly found to be in the United States illegally after being deported in November of 2016. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement Removal Operations is the investigative agency.

Hugo Alfonso Castillo-Olguin. Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.

Olguin, 36, was allegedly found to be in the United States illegally after being deported in March 2013. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency.

Stuart H. Clark. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.

Clark, 30, of Tulsa, is charged after allegedly failing to register as a sex offender after multiple child pornography convictions in 2014. The U.S. Marshals Service is the investigative agency.

Leslie Kenneth Copeland. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.  Copeland, 44, of Tulsa, is charged with failure to register as a sex offender. The U.S. Marshals Service, Tulsa Police Department and Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies.

Nicholas James Dardenne. Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to an Intimate Partner and Dating Partner in Indian Country; Assault of an Intimate Partner or Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country. Dardenne, 43, of Tulsa, is charged with assault after allegedly strangling his girlfriend and striking her with his fists. The FBI and Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies.

Melissa Lynn Davis. Child Abuse in Indian Country; Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country; Assault resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to an Individual who has not Attained the Age of 16 Years in Indian Country. Davis, 28, of Jenks, allegedly maliciously harmed the health, safety, and welfare of a minor child by assaulting her and causing serious bodily injury. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Tywan Carnelius Erby. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Erby, 47, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of a 9x19mm semi-automatic pistol and ammunition. Erby is a five-time convicted felon. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Michael Lee Figgeroa. Distribution and Receipt of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography. Figgeroa, 42, of Hominy, is alleged to have knowingly possessed, distributed and received with intent to view child pornography. The Tulsa Police Department is the investigative agency.

Omar Heriberto Garcia-Luna. Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien. Luna, 20, of Tulsa, was allegedly found to be in the United States illegally after being deported in April 2020. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency.

Bradley Don Goodin. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under 12 in Indian Country; Abusive Sexual Contact With a Child Under 12 in Indian Country; Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child in Indian Country; Possession of a Firearm While Subject to a Domestic Violence Protective Order (second superseding indictment). Goodin, 46, of Sapulpa, is charged with three counts of engaging in sexual acts with two Native American children under the age of 12, occurring in 2019. He is further charged with abusive sexual contact of one of those victims in 2019 and as well as sexual abusive contact with a different child between the ages of 12 and 16, allegedly taking place from the Fall of 2008 to the Spring of 2009. Goodin is also charged with being in possession of 21 firearms while subject to a domestic violence protective order. The Sapulpa Police Department, Creek County Sheriff’s Office and FBI are the investigative agencies.

Lee Owen Hallford. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Hallford, 29, of Tulsa, is being charged after he allegedly assaulted the victim with a knife. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Pedro Herrera-Angeles. Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien. Herrera-Angeles, 41, was allegedly found to be in the United States illegally after being deported in February 2019. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency.

Michael Charles Hicks Jr. Robbery in Indian Country; Theft in Indian Country (second superseding). Hicks, 50, allegedly stole a 2015 Cadillac Escalade, by force and violence, from the victim. The FBI, Tulsa Police Department, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies.

Jeffrey Arch Jones. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child in Indian Country; Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child in Indian Country. Jones, 31, currently residing in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, 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 Sept. 29, 2015, to Sept. 30, 2016. The Broken Arrow Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.

Timothy Eugene Jordan. Arson. Jordan, 50, is charged with setting a fire at a residential apartment building at 6565 South Newport Avenue in Tulsa. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tulsa Fire Inspector are the investigative agencies.

Derek L. Lovell. Attempted Kidnapping in Indian Country; Assault with Intent to Commit a Felony in Indian Country.  Lovell, 36, of Tulsa, is charged with attempting to kidnap a female victim on Jan. 28, 2021. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.

Roberto Montel Madden; Cheetara Denise Venable. Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition; Felon in Possession of Ammunition (3 counts). 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 Ted McCarty. Using a Vehicle to Facilitate the Intentional Discharge of a Firearm in Indian Country; Using, Carrying, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Felon in Possession of Firearm. McCarty, 45, of Sand Springs, is alleged to have conducted a drive by shooting at the victim’s residence on Feb. 3, 2021. McCarty is further charged with being a felon in possession of a Taurus PT111 G2 9mm pistol. The Sand Springs Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.

Jesse Thomas Moore. Lewd Acts With a Child Under 16 in Indian Country; Burglary in the First Degree in Indian Country; Attempted Sexual Abuse by Threat in Indian Country. Moore, 18, of Tulsa, is alleged to have broken into a female victim’s home on May 6, 2020. He is further alleged to have ejaculated on a minor under the age of 16 on May 6, 2020. According to the indictment, Moore also broke into a different individual’s home with intent to commit a crime by forcibly entering the outer door of the house on Nov. 8, 2020, He also allegedly attempted to engage in a sexual act with a female victim and demanded she “get the f**k up and don’t say anything or I’ll f**king kill you on Dec. 13, 2020. You can find the initial Complaint press release here.

Issac Eli Pigeon. Robbery in Indian Country. Pigeon, 18, of Tulsa, used force and violence in a robbery. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.

Brian Christopher Pradmore.  Assault of a Spouse by Strangling, Suffocating, and Attempting to Strangle and Suffocate in Indian Country. Pradmore, 31, of Mannaford, assaulted and strangled a female victim on Sept. 24, 2020. The Mannaford Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.

Zachary Thomas Price. Receipt of Firearm by a Person Under Indictment for a Felony. Between Oct. 6, 2020 through Jan. 22, 2021, Price, 21, of Tulsa, allegedly received and was in possession of a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol while under indictment for the felony crime of stalking in Indian Country. The Broken Arrow and Tulsa Police Departments are the investigative agencies.

Anthony Raul Proctor. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition (count 1); Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country (counts 2, 4); Using and Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (counts 3, 5, 7, 9); Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country (counts 6, 8) (superseding). Proctor, 32, of Bristow, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistol and 14 rounds of ammunition, which was discovered on Oct. 1, 2020. Proctor is a 5-time convicted felon. In this superseding indictment, he also is charged with assaulting an individual by discharging a round into the victim’s vehicle on May 6, 2020. Proctor is also charged with assaulting a different victim, using a firearm, feet and hands to strike the victim on Aug. 7, 2020. Finally, Proctor is charged with two counts of assault with intent to commit murder when he fired multiple rounds into a home occupied by two people on Sept. 15, 2020, and in a separate incident when he fired his gun at a different individual, striking the victim with one round on Sept. 27, 2020.  The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Marshals Service, Muskogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police Department, and Bristow Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Charles Nathaniel Scott.  Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of Methamphetamine With Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.  Scott, 30, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Beretta Pico .380 caliber pistol and ammunition. He is further charged with possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and with possessing a firearm to further his drug trafficking crime. The Tulsa Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration are the investigative agencies.

Jordan Connor Searle. Assault With a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country. Searle, 23, residence unknown, is charged with assaulting a male victim by stabbing him with a knife. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.

Francisco Serna-Hernandez. Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien. Serna-Hernandez, 22, of Tulsa is charged with reentry of a removed alien, having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported March 24, 2018, at Del Rio, Texas, International Bridge. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency.

Joshua Marquis Shobe. Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition. Shobe, 22, of Coffeyville, Kansas, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Taurus .45 caliber pistol, a Taurus 9 mm pistol, and 23 rounds of ammunition. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.

Roderick Demense Brooks and Tavian Caleb Steward. Attempted Robbery in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Obstructing, Delaying, and Affecting Interstate Commerce by Robbery; Carjacking; Robbery in Indian Country. According to the indictment, Brooks, 18, of Tulsa, is alleged to have used violence and brandished a handgun when he threatened a female victim and stole her money on Dec. 29, 2020.  He is further accused of robbing a Broken Arrow refreshment shop and threatening a store employee with a firearm that same night. On Dec. 30, 2020, both Brooks and Steward, 18, of Tulsa, allegedly aided and abetted one another when they committed a carjacking. The two men threatened the owner using a firearm when they stole a 2019 Toyota Rav-4 from the owner. Finally, Steward threatened an employee using a firearm when he robbed a Tulsa sandwich shop on Jan. 7, 2021. The FBI and Broken Arrow and Tulsa Police Departments are the investigative agencies.

Ryan Blake Still. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Still is charged with failing to register as a sex offender. The U.S. Marshals Service is the investigative agency.

Charles Wesley Tillery, Jr. Assault of an Intimate and Dating Partner by Strangling and Suffocating in Indian Country.  Tillery Jr., 35 of Inola, is charged with strangling an intimate partner on Jan. 3, 2021. The Rogers County Sheriff’s Office and FBI are the investigative agencies.

Daniel Angelo Torres. Possession of Methamphetamine With Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Maintaining a Drug Involved Premises.  Torres, 27, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. He is further charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime and with maintaining a drug involved premises at 1020 N St Louis Avenue in Tulsa. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Andrew Dillon Vann. Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. Vann is charged with being a felon in possession of a Taurus 9 mm caliber handgun. The Tulsa Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration are the investigative agencies.

Juan Vasquesz-Alvarez. Possession of Methamphetamine With Intent to Distribute; Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Vasquez-Alvarez, 28, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. He is further charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime. The Tulsa Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration are the investigative agencies.

Taylor Vaught-Crysler; Zachary Wayne Crew. Obstructing, Delaying, and Affecting Commerce by Robbery; Robbery in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Conspiracy to Obstruct, Delay, and Affect Commerce by Robbery.  Vaught-Crysler, 18, and Crew, 19, both of Tulsa, allegedly aided and abetted each other on Jan. 15, 2021, when they robbed two Tulsa QuikTrip stores located at. 1022 S. Utica Avenue and 3606 S. Peoria Avenue. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.

Israel Vidales-Martinez. Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien. Vidales-Martinez, 33, of Tulsa is charged with reentry of a removed alien, having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported Nov. 19, 2010, at Del Rio, Texas, International Bridge. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency.

Blake Clifton Williamson. Possession of an Unregistered Rifle Having a Barrel of Less Than 16 Inches in Length; Tampering With a Witness, Victim, and Informant by Intimidation, Threats, Corrupt Persuasion, and Misleading Conduct; Kidnapping in Indian Country Possession of an Unregistered Silencer (superseding). Williamson was previously charged with knowingly possessing a rifle having a barrel length of less than 16 inches, that is, an Anderson Manufacturing multi-caliber short-barreled rifle, not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. According to the superseding indictment, Williamson also allegedly threatened and intimidated a witness in order to prevent her testimony in official court proceedings and to prevent the her from speaking to federal law enforcement officers. Between Oct. 24 and 26, 2020, Williamson kidnapped the same witness. Finally, the defendant possessed a silencer that was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. The Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.

Calvin Johnson, aka “Lakeshia Johnson” and “Keyshia Johnson,” pleaded guilty this morning in two criminal cases after committing wire fraud and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Johnson, 37, of Tulsa, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge John E. Dowdell who set sentencing for May 26, 2021. 

“Calvin Johnson used a position as a contractor at a bank’s call center to defraud and steal from customers,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Technology rarely provides the ambiguity that criminals hope for and this case was no different. The diligent work of the FBI and the prosecutorial efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Cella caught this white-collar criminal.”

In the plea agreement, Johnson admitted that from February to October 2018 she worked at Alorica, a call center contractor for Ally Bank. As part the job, Johnson had access to Ally Bank customer accounts and account information. Johnson devised and executed a scheme to defraud Ally Bank and its customers by using her account access to transfer money to accounts she owned or controlled to fund her own personal expenses. As a part of the scheme, she caused $7,000 to be transferred from an Ally Bank customer account to an account she controlled at City National Bank.

After being charged for wire fraud, Johnson was later encountered by law enforcement in Indiana on Sept. 2, 2020, in possession of a .45-caliber pistol and a 9mm semiautomatic pistol.  In the plea agreement, Johnson admitted that she had been convicted of robbery in September of 2004; therefore, understanding that she was unlawfully possessing the firearms officers found on her on Sept. 2, 2020. 

The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard M. Cella is prosecuting the case.

A Tulsa man who repeatedly violated a protective order and strangled his former girlfriend was sentenced today in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Ernie Wayne Standingsoldier Jr., 35, of Tulsa, to 41 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. The defendant previously pleaded guilty to assault of an intimate partner and dating partner by strangling and attempting to strangle or suffocate in Indian Country. 

“Strangulation is a precursor to homicide on the domestic homicide risk assessment. When a man puts his hands around a woman’s neck to strangle her, the chances of the victim dying from a domestic assault increase tenfold. Ernie Standingsoldier Jr. strangled and abused his victim, and today he faced the consequences for his actions,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Every year, more than 10 million women and men are physically abused by an intimate partner. And with such a fine line between unconsciousness and death, law enforcement and prosecutors take special note when strangulation is involved. Standingsoldier now begins a 41 month sentence in federal prison where he will no longer be able to harm this victim.”

In January 2018, Tulsa County District Court issued a protective order against Standingsoldier Jr. in response to his repeated intimidation and abuse of the victim. The Court ordered Standingsoldier Jr. to have no contact with his former girlfriend for five years. Despite the protective order, Standingsoldier Jr. beat and strangled or attempted to strangle the victim in her own home two times within a month. 

On Feb. 20, 2020, the defendant entered the victim’s apartment, grabbed her by the hair, punched her in the face, and strangled her. She managed to escape and called authorities. A medical team later found that she suffered from a concussion and a small subconjunctival hematoma, indicating strangulation. Three weeks later on March 16, Standingsoldier Jr. returned and forced his way into the victim’s apartment, punched the victim in the face and attempted to strangle the her a second time. In both cases, the defendant fled the scene before officers arrived. On March 28, 2020, the defendant again returned to the victim’s apartment, banging on the victim’s door when she was not at home. The apartment complex security officer called authorities, and Standingsoldier Jr. was arrested.

In a motion for upward variance, the United States argued the defendant should receive 41 months in prison, the highest end of the agreed to sentencing range. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Lash noted the grave nature of Standingsoldier Jr.’s violent assaults and his lack of respect for the law he when repeatedly violated the protective order. She argued that researchers and law enforcement professionals have determined that nonfatal strangulation is a leading indicator of escalating violence in a relationship and an important risk factor for homicide in women.

Lash cited expert testimony which noted that strangulation is the “ultimate form of power and control” because “the perpetrator can say to the victim: With this act, I can kill you if I want to. I can…let you live if I want to, and you will remember that.” Lash also cited research suggesting that the strangulation of women is increasingly prevalent in Oklahoma. Of the Oklahoma women who were in abusive relationships from 2009 to 2013, 80% reported being strangled by their partners, and 40% of those women reported multiple strangulations, according to a lethality assessment study in seven Oklahoma police jurisdictions. (Whitney Bryen, Strangulation of Women Is Common, Chilling – and Often a Grim Harbinger, Oklahoma Watch, May 29, 2019)

The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Lash is prosecuting the case. AUSA Lash is a prosecutor from the Eastern District of New York. 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. The United States and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation have jurisdiction of all cases that occur on the reservation involving Native American victims or defendants.

A Tulsa man was sentenced today for voluntary manslaughter in Indian Country after he shot and killed a woman in Philpott Park on July 10, 2020, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced James Michael Landry, 29, to 87 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.

"One of the very first cases we opened after the McGirt decision has come to a just conclusion in my last week as U.S. Attorney. Michael Landry is headed to federal prison for killing Crystal Bradley at Tulsa’s Philpott Park. This prosecution is the result of cooperation among state, federal, and tribal entities in pursuit of a common goal- justice," said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. "I also understand that there is no amount of prison time that can replace the loss of life. My heart goes out to the family of Crystal Bradley as they continue to grieve her tragic loss."

In his November plea agreement, Landry admitted that on July 10, 2020 without malice, but upon a sudden quarrel or heat of passion, he unlawfully shot and killed Crystal Bradley. The victim was an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation.

The FBI, Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police Department and the Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan M. Roberts prosecuted the case.

A Tulsa woman pleaded guilty today in federal court for her role in robbing a man at gunpoint at a local hotel, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Rebecca Raye Jackson, 33, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to use or carry a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and to robbery in Indian Country.

“The victim in this case found himself staring into the barrel of a shotgun after Rebecca Jackson and her coconspirator lured him to a hotel with intent to steal his money and belongings,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “This office will hold accountable individuals who place lives in jeopardy and ensure justice for victims of crime.”

In her plea agreement, Jackson admitted that on Sept. 26, 2020, she conspired with another individual to lure the victim into a room at a Super 8 Hotel in Tulsa with the promise of sex. When the victim walked into the room, the two women locked the door, and Jackson pointed a shotgun at the victim and robbed him. She took the victim’s money, keys, wallet and cell phone.

Chief U.S. District Judge John E. Dowdell set sentencing for May 24, 2021.

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

A Tulsa man was sentenced this morning in federal court after he violated a protective order by sending harassing and threatening emails and messages to a female victim, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Parris Deshaunte Evitt, 30, of Tulsa, previously pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge John E. Dowdell on November 4, 2020. In his plea agreement, Evitt admitted to sending harassing and intimidating messages from a variety of accounts. Evitt’s course of conduct included repeated threats to the victim’s physical safety and privacy.  

Today, Judge Dowdell sentenced Evitt to 46 months of imprisonment for cyberstalking a prior intimate partner in violation of a protective order. Judge Dowdell also sentenced Evitt to 3 years supervised release following imprisonment, and ordered Evitt to pay restitution for hotel costs the victim incurred after she was forced to flee her home in order to try to hide from Evitt.

Between October 2018 and continuing until October 2020, Evitt used email, Facebook, and text messages to control and threaten the victim. However, his abuse of the victim had started years before. Between 2012 and 2019, Evitt was convicted on 5 different occasions for physically abusing the victim including strangulation, assault, and interfering with reporting. Evitt was also on state supervision at the time of the current offenses.

“When a court order frustrated Parris Evitt’s ability to domestically abuse his partner, he resorted to cyberstalking in an effort to continue the torment and terror,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Cowardly acts of cyberstalking and digital threats are no match for a courageous victim whose testimony helped law enforcement and prosecutors break the cycle of violence. Domestic abusers like Evitt should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. The scars of physical abuse and emotional pain can last a lifetime.”

The victim in this case appeared via Zoom this morning to make a personal statement and share the impact Evitt’s cyberstalking has had on her life. She explained that Evitt had destroyed her sense of security and became emotional when she discussed Evitt’s statement that he would rather see her dead than happy. She also stated, “the longer he is away from my children and I, the more time we have to try and heal and move on with our lives, if that is even possible.” After Judge Dowdell sentenced Evitt, he asked Evitt if he had really listened to the victim and noted the egregiousness of Evitt’s conduct.

The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chantelle D. Dial prosecuted the case. Ms. Dial is a prosecutor from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Washington. She volunteered to assist prosecution efforts here in the Northern District of Oklahoma due to 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.

A man who falsely reported that a bomb was to be detonated at the Tulsa County Court House was sentenced today in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan sentenced Randy Paul Shelby, 41, of Sand Springs, to 12 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for reporting false information about bombs in a courthouse.

“Randy Shelby didn’t want to face the consequences for his alleged acts of domestic abuse. So, he phoned in a bomb threat to stop the related court proceeding at the Tulsa County Courthouse. He then made a bad situation worse when he tried to frame another man as the potential bomber,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “This series of incredibly bad and criminal choices landed Shelby in federal court where today he learned that he will spend the next 12 months in federal prison. I commend the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Rob Raley, the Tulsa Police Department and the FBI in this matter.”

On the evening of July 7, 2020, an unidentified caller contacted the Tulsa Police Department’s non-emergency number at 11:12 pm stating that a member of the “Bandidos” motorcycle club had been making bombs. The caller further stated that he had been to the man’s house where he saw the bombs. He advised police that the man planned to detonate a bomb at the Tulsa County Courthouse on July 8, 2020, at 11 am. At his plea hearing in November, Shelby stated that he was the caller, knew the information he had provided to authorities was false, and understood it was wrong and illegal to make a hoax bomb threat.

According to court documents, Shelby also made a second anonymous call to the Tulsa Police Department’s non-emergency number at 12:59 am on July 8, 2020, stating that he had seen a person sitting in a white pickup showing others a PVC pipe with caps on both ends and what looked like a fuse. Shelby stated that it looked like a bomb and described the man in the pickup.

During the course of the investigation, officers discovered that Shelby had made the hoax calls and ascertained he did so to stop a proceeding related to a domestic violence protective order issued against the defendant. The victim was scheduled to appear at the courthouse the morning July 8, 2020.

The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert T. Raley prosecuted the case. AUSA Raley is the National Security Anti-Terrorism (ATAC) Prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Oklahoma.

A Drumright man today admitted in federal court that he stole $401, 146 worth of funds and oil and gas products from his former employer, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

David Owen West, 59, pleaded guilty to two counts of mail fraud and one count of money laundering before U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan. The sentencing hearing was set for May 13, 2021.

“David West was a trusted employee for close to 30 years at Petco Petroleum. He violated that trust by engaging in schemes to defraud his employer as West helped himself to more than $400,000 of the company’s money,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “This prosecution exemplifies this office’s resolve to hold responsible individuals who profit from criminal deceit and embezzlement. Thanks to the work of white-collar prosecutor Charles McLoughlin, IRS-Criminal Investigation and the FBI, West is now a convicted felon.”

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

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

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

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

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

A Tulsa man pleaded guilty today after committing two separate robberies in two days, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

James Jordan Buckley, 21, of Tulsa, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell. Buckley is a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. His sentencing is set for May 10, 2021.

“The commission of two violent robberies in two days was a pattern of criminal conduct that caught the attention of law enforcement. Thank goodness they identified and arrested James Buckley before he could rob another victim,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “In addition to the FBI and Tulsa Police, I want to commend the efforts of New Jersey-based Assistant U.S. Attorney Cymetra Williams who came to help prosecute violent crimes in the wake of the McGirt decision. This prosecution is a great example of work she and other detailees are doing to make our community safer.”

In his plea agreement, Buckley admitted that on March 31, 2020, he kicked in the front door of the elderly victim’s residence and demanded the key to her vehicle. He admitted that he took her vehicle by force, violence, intimidation, and without her permission. Buckley further admitted that on April 1, 2020, he approached the vehicle of a different victim and entered the vehicle without permission. Buckley then demanded that the victim drive him to Broken Arrow and pointed a knife at the driver as he made his demands. The victims in the car escaped the vehicle and following their escape Buckley got in the driver’s seat and attempted to take the vehicle.

The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cymetra M. Williams is prosecuting the case.

A Tulsa man was in federal court today to plead guilty to domestic violence allegations, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Craig Lamar Gonzales, 22, pleaded guilty to assault with intent to commit a felony. In his plea agreement, Gonzales admitted that in December 2019, he pulled the victim from her vehicle, dragged her by her hair, pushed her to the ground, and spit on her during an attempted kidnapping. Chief U.S. District Judge John E. Dowdell set sentencing for May 10, 2021.

“One in four women experience severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Those numbers are even higher for victims who are Native American. This office is proud to stand with survivors of domestic violence and hold accountable their abusers. These cases are not always easy to prosecute, but they are some of the most important because you can help prevent a future homicide. Today, domestic abuser Craig Gonzales entered a plea of guilty for the assault he committed on an intimate partner,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Credit goes to the FBI and Tulsa Police Department who worked to investigate this matter.”

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aimee Cooper and Devon Lash are prosecuting the case. AUSAs Cooper and Lash are prosecutors from the Eastern District of Texas and the Eastern District of New York. Both 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 cases that occur on the reservation involving Native American victims or defendants.

TULSA, Okla. – U.S. Attorney Trent Shores today announced that he will resign as chief law enforcement officer for the Northern District of Oklahoma at the end of February.

“Today, I tendered to the President my resignation as United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma, effective February 28, 2021. It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve our great nation and the citizens of northeastern Oklahoma in this capacity. After eighteen years with the United States Department of Justice, I know that my family and I can sleep well at night knowing that the men and women of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and their law enforcement partners are on the job. It is beyond rewarding to know that I’ve had the opportunity to contribute to the betterment and well-being of our community –the very same community in which I grew up as a child and where my wife and I have chosen to raise our family.

I want to thank Senators Jim Inhofe and James Lankford for their support and confidence in me to lead this office when they recommended me as a nominee for the position. I am grateful to Attorney General Sessions and Attorney General Barr for their trust in my abilities and for their attentions to improving public safety in Indian Country, especially to advance awareness of and provide resources to address the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous persons. Most of all, I am deeply appreciative of the men and women of this United States Attorney’s Office who, day in and day out, carry forth the mission of the Justice Department. This diverse and dedicated team pursues truth and justice and advances the rule of law. They do what is right even when that is not convenient or easy. Their work enables the rest of us to enjoy our unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. For that, they have my enduring respect and sincere appreciation.”

Two men have been sentenced in the last week for their role in trafficking heroin in the Northern District of Oklahoma, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Osiel Serafin Calderon, 25, and Rudolph Gorniak, 29, were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan. Calderon received 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Gorniak received 41 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

“A transnational heroin trafficking organization has been dismantled as a result of Operation Smack Dragon. I credit the dedicated efforts of Senior Litigation Counsel Joel-lyn McCormick who leads our Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “These drug trafficking criminal enterprises are some of the most destructive forces in the world. Their criminal cell heads spread violence, drugs, and addiction from community to community. I am grateful to all of our law enforcement partners who have stayed the course in tracking down these traffickers, arresting them, and disrupting their criminal operations.”    

This transnational criminal organization’s hierarchy had clearly defined roles, as leaders from Mexico supplied heroin to the Tulsa “cell heads.” These “cell heads” were originally from Mexico but lived in Tulsa. Stille Giovanni Gutierrez Vivanco, allegedly directed, from Mexico, the overall drug trafficking operations in Tulsa by delegating responsibilities for the import and distribution of the heroin and for the movement of the proceeds from heroin sales. The criminal organization smuggled heroin into the United States and transported the drug to storage locations in Tulsa where they prepared it for distribution throughout the United States. After preparing the heroin, the coconspirators would repackage it for distribution to mid-level distributers, who would then redistribute it to street-level dealers until it eventually found its way into the hands of customers.

Osiel Serafin Calderon pleaded guilty to assisting in delivering heroin to defendant Jose Garcia by transporting the heroin from Southern California to northeastern Oklahoma from January 2019 through June 2019. He also assisted in collecting drug proceeds from Garcia. Garcia supplied heroin to numerous individuals for re-distribution, collected payment from dealers and returned the funds to the Mexican source of supply.

Rudolph Gorniak pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to distribute heroin from January 2019 through June 2019. Over the course of several weeks, Gorniak purchased quantities of heroin from defendants Alphonso Caldwell and Devin Hartzell. He purchased heroin, redistributed it to third parties, and relied on the payment from customers to purchase additional heroin. 

The two were among more than 30 individuals indicted in 2019 for drug conspiracy and other crimes related to the cartel’s heroin operations. The prosecution resulted from Operation Smack Dragon, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation in partnership with the U.S. Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigation; the Oklahoma State Attorney General’s Office; and Tulsa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn McCormick is prosecuting this case. AUSA McCormick is the Lead Attorney for the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit for the Northern District of Oklahoma.

Two men were sentenced this morning after conspiring with others to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Kendrick Johnson, 38, and Marcus Collay, 45, were sentenced before Chief U.S. District Judge John E. Dowdell. Johnson received a sentence of 120 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. His possession of 11 firearms was considered in this sentence. Collay received a sentence of 51 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release.

“It seems like every week I am making a statement about the prosecution of a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy. This drug continues to be the scourge of our state, wrecking lives and destroying families. Thank goodness the DEA and Tulsa Police are relentless in their efforts to combat methamphetamine,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Defendants Collay and Johnson are part of the meth problem and now they’re dealing with the consequences for their actions.”

In a blind plea, Johnson stated that he voluntarily conspired with others in a drug conspiracy that involved methamphetamine. Collay, in his written plea agreement, admitted to intentionally possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin. Specifically, Collay stated that he supplied distribution amounts of methamphetamine and heroin to Johnson and other third parties.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick is prosecuting the case. AUSA McCormick serves as the lead attorney for the United States Attorney’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces.

A Tulsa man was convicted today in federal court for cutting his girlfriend’s throat and for illegally possessing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Devin Charles Staller, 23, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon in Indian Country and to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

“Devin Staller is a dangerous man, plain and simple. He kicked in his girlfriend’s front door and later during a domestic dispute cut her throat. Thankfully, she survived. When police later arrested Staller, he was in illegal possession of a shotgun, ” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “I am grateful this victim called police and they acted quickly. Thanks to Iowa-based Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Fletcher and the joint investigative work of the Tulsa Police Department, ATF and FBI, this dangerous eight-time felon has been convicted.”

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 was previously convicted of eight felonies. Staller was found with the firearm when he was located by police in an apartment in Tulsa on July 17, 2020.

U.S. District John E. Dowdell set sentencing for May 5, 2021. 

The maximum sentence per each count is ten years imprisonment and a fine per count of not more than $250,000.

The Tulsa Police Department, FBI and  Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Fletcher is prosecuting 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.

One of three men who ran a methamphetamine trafficking and money laundering operation in Tulsa and the surrounding area was sentenced today in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Javier Passement, 55, of Tulsa, to nine years in federal prison.

“Money laundering is the lifeblood of criminal organizations. These corrupt banking transactions move dirty money all across the globe so that the criminal organization can operate outside the law,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Thanks to our Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, a local money laundering operation with international ties has been shut down. Javier Passement and his ilk are just as responsible as the traffickers from Mexico for the methamphetamine flowing onto our streets. This nine year sentence shows that there are serious consequences for getting involved in any aspect of the drug game.”

In 2018, Passement, along with Alfredo Herrera and Domingo Aguirre, was charged with violating federal money laundering and drug conspiracy statutes. Herrera was the owner and operator of Casa Herrera, a local money remitter business that was used to launder illegal drug proceeds.

In his plea agreement, Passement admitted that from December 2015 to September 2018 he received money and sent it back to the Mexican source of supply using local money remitter businesses, including Casa Herrera. At Casa Herrera, the three men sent drug proceeds to Felix Ordaz-Miranda in Mexico, using nominee names. Ordaz-Miranda would also provide nominee names to use to list as the recipients of the wire transfers. The “fake” names were used in order to conceal the true nature of the transactions and to further the drug conspiracy by paying money owed to the source of supply. Passement stated that he generated the wire transfers under the direction of Herrera and Aguirre.

Passement further admitted that he knowingly conspired to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 500 grams or more of a methamphetamine.  Specifically, Passement received bulk quantities of methamphetamine from Ordaz-Miranda and distributed the drug to individuals identified by him throughout Tulsa and the surrounding areas. 

The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation, titled Operation Ripped Ice, involved the Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and Tulsa Police Department. Twenty-two individuals were charged as a result of the operation. Domingo Aguirre was convicted and sentenced to 44 months in federal prison. Alfredo Herrera passed away during the prosecution.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick prosecuted the case. AUSA McCormick serves as the lead attorney for the United States Attorney’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces.

 A Tulsa man was sentenced today in federal court for trying to stop a victim from testifying against him, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Jonathan David Arneecher, 36, to 36 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.  On Oct. 30, 2020, the defendant pleaded guilty to tampering with a witness, victim, or informant by intimidation, threats, corrupt persuasion, or misleading conduct.

“Jonathan Arneecher was so afraid of the truth that he tried to persuade a domestic violence victim to change her story and skip her court appearance. His witness tampering actions only made his bad situation worse,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Domestic violence victims are often more resilient than their abusers give them credit. This case was no different. I hope that this victim can get the services she needs while Arneecher spends the next three years in federal prison.”

In his plea agreement, Arneecher admitted that he acted with intent to influence, delay and prevent the victim’s testimony in his pending criminal case. On Aug. 23, 2020, while he was incarcerated on charges of assaulting an intimate partner, he called the victim from jail and attempted to persuade her to contradict her earlier sworn testimony.  He specifically urged the victim to tell federal agents and prosecutors that she lied about his assault against her. On Aug. 25, he again called the victim and told her not to show up at court and to stay at his mother’s house.

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

A Tulsa man pleaded guilty this morning to drug conspiracy, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Charles Dean Studie, 36, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John F. Heil. His sentencing is set for April 30, 2021.

“Methamphetamine continues to be Oklahoma’s most deadly drug, and Charles Studie contributed to that problem,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “The Tulsa Housing Authority Community Enhancement Unit and DEA combined forces to bring accountability to this drug trafficker. Our community is better off with Charles Studie off the streets and his methamphetamine supply cut off.”

In his plea agreement, Studie admitted that beginning in June 2019, he knowingly and intentionally conspired with others to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute the deadly drug. He provided methamphetamine and cash to other individuals to promote and further their drug dealing operation, which was being staged out of Tulsa public housing. Studie’s participation required the participation, direction, and action of others, and all parties worked together for their shared mutual benefit. Further, Studie, a felon, admitted that beginning on November 22, 2019, he knowingly possessed a Jennings .25 auto caliber semi-automatic pistol and a Jimenez, .22 LR caliber semi-automatic pistol, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

“Methamphetamine continues to negatively impact the citizens of Oklahoma. The conviction of Charles Studie is another step forward in ridding the streets of individuals who would sell this destructive drug that has destroyed Oklahoma lives for decades,” said Tulsa County Sheriff Vic Regalado. “I am proud of the work of our deputies who make up the Tulsa Housing Authority Community Enhancement Unit and I am equally proud of our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s office and the DEA.” 

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.

The Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar and Aimee Cooper are prosecuting the case.

A six-time convicted violent felon who was found in possession of a sawed-off rifle was sentenced today in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III sentenced Devante Joe-Joe Youngblood, 27, of Stroud, to 96 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. In October 2020, Youngblood pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Youngblood was found in possession of a Henry Repeating Arms Co .22LR caliber weapon made from a rifle on July 15, 2020. Youngblood was previously convicted of second degree rape, possession of a controlled dangerous substance, assault and battery on a police officer, attempted escape from custody, assault with a dangerous weapon, and escape from arrest and detention. Relevant conduct was also cited by the Government at the defendant’s plea hearing and sentencing. The Government alleged specific facts related to a shooting or attempted shooting and robbery involving Youngblood and the firearm prior to his arrest by law enforcement.

“Devante Youngblood was a gun-wielding alpha criminal who repeatedly put others at risk. He is a danger to our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Felons like Youngblood are the reason why our 2150 Initiative prosecutions are so important. This conviction is a result of the good work of the ATF, Stroud and Bristow Police Departments, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cymetra Williams. Today, Youngblood’s actions have landed him in prison for the next eight years where he can no longer terrorize fellow Oklahomans.”

The Bristow Police Department, Stroud Police Department, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cymetra M. Williams prosecuted 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 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.

This case was prosecuted as part of the 2150 Initiative. The collaborative law enforcement initiative 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 combats 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 man was sentenced this morning after unlawful and fraudulent use of immigration documents, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Ronald A. Rodriguez-Paz, 36, appeared before Chief U.S. District Judge John E. Dowdell and received time served. He has been detained for 14 months and is now in ICE custody awaiting deportation hearings. Rodriguez is from Honduras and is not a legal resident of the United States.

“Child labor trafficking is absolutely reprehensible and can be the equivalent of modern-day slavery. Ronald Rodriguez-Paz crafted a scheme in which he kept the immigration documents of a child from Honduras to ensure that child would stay with him, work for him, and pay him money he believed the child owed him,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “I am grateful for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Heatherman and Chris Nassar and the agents at Homeland Security Investigations who worked to get justice for this young victim.”

In his plea agreement, Rodriguez-Paz admitted that from July 2019 to December 2019, he knowingly possessed immigration documents of a minor child in order to, without lawful authority, maintain the labor services of that child. Paz sponsored the minor, also from Honduras, to come live with him at his residence in Tulsa. He agreed that he knowingly kept the child’s immigration documents to ensure that the child continued to work and pay him the money he claimed the child owed him. Paz also admitted that from September 2016 to December 2019, he knowingly used and possessed false immigration documents. He admitted to knowingly possessing and using a fraudulently made lawful person resident card with the identification number of another actual individual. The card fraudulently contained his name and photograph.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Heatherman and Christopher J. Nassar are prosecuting the case.

A man who robbed a series of money remitter businesses in Tulsa and Glenpool was sentenced today in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III sentenced Justus Edward Murphy, 23, of Tulsa, to 20 years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. Murphy was further ordered to pay restitution representing the businesses’ losses, totaling $9,680.40.

“Justus Murphy was a brazen serial robber. He put innocent lives in danger when he used a gun to threaten employees in five of his six robberies,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “This prosecution was successful because of the coordinated efforts of three law enforcement entities: the Tulsa Police Department, Glenpool Police Department, and the FBI. Then, Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Johnston adeptly represented the interests of the United States in securing this conviction. I applaud the 20-year sentence handed down by Judge Heil today in federal court. Justice has been served.”

Murphy previously pleaded guilty to six counts of robbery and two counts of carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Murphy robbed six money remitter businesses including Check ‘n Go, Approved Cash, Advance America, and Check Into Cash. Murphy entered the businesses, asking employees about obtaining loans. In most of the robberies, he handed employees threatening notes, claiming he would harm them if they did not hand over cash from the businesses’ money drawers. In five of the six robberies he threatened employees with a pistol. Examples of the messages were “120 Seconds $5,000 OR I will Shoot U!  IF U DO ANYTHING NOT NORMAL YOU’RE DEAD.” and “IF I HEAR SIRENS, YOU AND ME DEAD! YOU HAVE 220 SECONDS TO GET $5,000.”

The Tulsa Police Department, Glenpool Police Department and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric O. Johnston prosecuted the case, which came to the U.S. Attorney's Office as a result of the Supreme Court’s McGirt decision.

A woman who stole nearly $232,000 from her employer over a two-year period and signed a false income tax return was sentenced today in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III sentenced Stephanie K. Gragg, 45, of Fairland, to 12 months in federal prison followed by one year supervised release. The judge further ordered Gragg to pay restitution in the amounts of $231,964 to Shangri-La Management LLC and $55,036 to the IRS.

“Stephanie Gragg’s corrupt financial shenanigans have earned her the title of convicted felon. Her employer entrusted her with access to corporate funds, and she took advantage of her position to divert corporate money into her personal accounts and to feed a gambling habit,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “The agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, in concert with the FBI, are to be commended for their work. From embezzlement to tax crimes to large scale organized crime, they meticulously follow the money to ensure criminals are brought to account for their crimes.”

“Mrs. Gragg's crimes were not victimless. Every time someone cheats on their taxes, there are more than 300 million victims,” said Mark Pearson, IRS-Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge of Dallas Field Office. “Honest taxpayers need to be reassured that everyone is paying their fair share. Together with our law enforcement partners, IRS-Criminal Investigation will continue the pursuit of those who violate our tax system.”

From January 2014 to December 2016, Gragg used her access to Shangri-La Management LLC’s cash collections to take $231,964 in cash funds to enrich herself. She deposited a portion of the embezzled cash into her personal accounts at Arvest Bank to pay for personal and family expenses. She also used a portion of the cash funds to gamble.

Gragg further admitted that she knowingly failed to report on her tax returns the funds that she misappropriated from her employer. For example, Gragg signed, under penalty of perjury, her 2016 Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, in which she failed to report $103,377 in illegally obtained funds.

IRS-Criminal Investigation and the FBI  conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Reagan V. Reininger prosecuted the case.

A woman pleaded guilty this morning after abusing and assaulting a Native American minor female while under the influence of alcohol, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Jamie Lea Keahbone, 40, of Broken Arrow, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge John E. Dowdell. Her sentencing is set for April 27, 2021.

“Jamie Keahbone was a real-life nightmare to her victim. Keahbone repeatedly punched a child, intentionally pressed an arm against the child’s neck until the child lost consciousness, poured water over the child’s face causing the child to struggle to breathe, and struck the child with a table lamp,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “I commend this victim for her courage in seeking help and applaud law enforcement for answering the call.”

In her written plea agreement, Keahbone admitted that she assaulted the girl on October 14, 2020.

The FBI and the Broken Arrow 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 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.

A Virginia man who sent harassing and intimidating emails directed toward Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum and his family was sentenced today in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan sentenced Adam Maxwell Donn, 41, of Norfolk, Virginia, to 15 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Eagan further ordered the defendant to pay restitution in the amount of $2,380 to the victim.

“Words can and do lead to violence. That was the fear of the Bynum family as they received Adam Donn’s vile and violent threats to inflict harm upon them. This sentence sends a clear message that there are real life consequences in the form of federal prison time for anyone who wants to engage in cyberstalking,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Sadly, we see far too many instances of online harassment, threats, and cyberstalking in today’s society. I hope Adam Donn’s prison sentence will deter others from engaging in similar conduct.”

At a change of plea hearing in October, the defendant admitted that he sent Mayor Bynum and his wife 44 emails and left 14 phone messages from June 11 through June 22, 2020, that were meant to harass, annoy, threaten and intimate the Bynum family. He also admitted that the threatening messages made numerous references to Bynum’s young children and their home address. Donn believed the threats would coerce Bynum into cancelling President Donald Trump’s campaign rally scheduled for June 20, 2020.

Initial charges were filed against Donn in July 2020. You can find the press release here.

The Tulsa Police Department and FBI conducted the investigation. U.S. Attorney Trent Shores and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar are prosecuting the case.

A man was sentenced this morning after using a firearm to rob a Dollar General, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Trentin Anton Richardson, 21, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison by U.S. District Court Judge John F. Heil.

“When Trentin Richardson discharged his gun in the middle of the armed robbery of a Dollar General, he earned himself a direct ticket to the federal penitentiary,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “However, Richardson’s remorse for his actions, as expressed by him at his sentencing hearing, did not go unnoticed and suggests that perhaps this violent criminal behavior was an aberration in an otherwise law-abiding life. I certainly hope so. I want to commend the federal and local law enforcement for their swift response, as well as the victim assistance coordinators who helped the victims, adult and children, in the wake of this violent crime.”

On June 4, 2020, Richardson entered a Dollar General in Sapulpa, OK, locked the door, drew a handgun, and ordered everyone to get on the ground. Richardson then proceeded to demand money from the safe and fired a round into the ceiling. He then took money from the safe and the register as well as money and cell phones from the customers in the store. When officers arrived, they detained Richardson who was wearing a mask to conceal his identity, gloves to hide his tattoos, and carrying a bag of money. Law enforcement also found that Richardson was carrying a loaded Ruger 9mm semi-automatic pistol.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Sapulpa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard M. Cella prosecuted the case.

A Tulsa woman today pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of murder, assault, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Sha-Lisa Harlin, 39, pleaded guilty to the three counts before Chief U.S. District Judge John E. Dowdell.

“An enraged Sha-lisa Harlin murdered her boyfriend in the midst of a confrontation she had with him and another woman,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Tragically, this scenario is far too common an occurrence. Guns are used to commit more than half of all intimate partner homicides in the United States. Today, Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross Lenhardt deftly represented the United States in this matter, ensuring Ms. Harlin was held accountable for her appalling acts. Credit also goes to the FBI and Tulsa Police Department for their diligent work on this investigation.”

In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that at the time of the crime, Harlin was residing at the Extended Stay Hotel in Tulsa with the victim Dalton Whitlow, her boyfriend, after their home burned down. On May 22, 2020, the defendant learned that Whitlow had begun a relationship with another woman, armed herself with her loaded .25 caliber semi-automatic pistol, and went looking for Whitlow and the woman. Harlin encountered the woman’s roommate. According to the roommate, the defendant pointed the gun at her and demanded to know where she could find the couple. The roommate entered the passenger’s side of the defendant’s vehicle, and the two drove to a nearby hotel in an unsuccessful attempt to find the couple.

Upon returning to the Extended Stay, the defendant then encountered the woman and pointed the gun at her. The victim arrived and got between the two. During the encounter, the gun was fired, and the bullet went into the ground. As Harlin continued to pursue the woman, the gun was fired a second time, hitting Whitlow in the temple, entering his brain. The magazine in Harlin’s firearm would not remain in the gun, requiring her to physically hold the magazine in the firearm in order for it to automatically chamber the second round and fire it. The victim later passed away in the hospital.

Harlln remained with the victim until medics and police arrived. The gun and fired casings were recovered at the scene where defendant confessed to the shooting.

Harlin, who by law was restricted from possessing a firearm, has a prior felony conviction from 2013 in Kingfisher County, Oklahoma, for passing a stolen check for approximately $1500 worth of goods.

Judge Dowdell scheduled sentencing for April 27, 2021, at 9:30am, and remanded the defendant into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross E. Lenhardt is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. Lenhardt is a federal prosecutor from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who volunteered to come to Tulsa for 6 months and prosecute violent crimes after the Supreme Court’s ruling in McGirt v. Oklahoma.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation joined with officers and detectives of the Tulsa Police Department to conduct the investigation that led to the Harlin’s prosecution.

A man who created and advertised child pornography depicting him sexually abusing two children was sentenced today in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

U.S. District Judge John E. Dowdell sentenced Ryan David Miller, 34, of Sapulpa, to 60 years in federal prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Miller previously pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child by a parent, advertising child pornography, distribution of child pornography, and possession of child pornography on Aug. 6, 2020.

During today’s hearing, the children’s Guardian ad Litem told the Court that both children had expressed sheer terror at the thought of having any contact with Miller in the future.

“Pedophiles like Ryan Miller belong in prison where they no longer have access to children. Miller not only molested two young children, he boasted about it online and shared images of the abuse to an online group frequented by pedophiles. Fortunately, an undercover FBI agent was in search of child predators that day and discovered Miller’s heinous crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “I’m thankful for Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chris Nassar and Edward Snow who take on these challenging cases and fight for the child victims.”

According to a criminal complaint and affidavit filed in the case, an undercover FBI agent was on a Kik messaging group when the agent received a message from Ryan Miller on Feb. 3, 2020. During their conversation Miller explained in detail sexual abuse he had committed against a 10-year-old male and an eight-year-old female and provided child pornography images of the female victim. On February 4, agents executed a search warrant at Millers home in Sapulpa. The court documents stated that Miller admitted to sexually abusing the male victim at least 20 times and the female victims at least four times. He also admitted to taking at least 50 images of the children engaged in sexually explicit behavior.

Miller will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.

The FBI, Broken Arrow Police Department and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Nassar and Edward Snow prosecuted the case.

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

A Tulsa man pleaded guilty in federal court to multiple drug offenses including distribution of methamphetamine and heroin, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

In a blind plea, Richard Howard Barnett III, 24, admitted 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. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell set Barnett’s sentencing for April 9, 2021.

“The Tulsa Police Narcotics Unit and DEA closed the door on Richard Barnett’s illicit drug trafficking operation,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Combined with the advocacy of Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn McCormick, this law enforcement team successfully removed large quantities of meth and heroin from the illegal drug market.”

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 Cherokee Nation 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.

United States Attorney Trent Shores today announced the hiring of retired Tulsa Police Lieutenant Chris Witt as Law Enforcement Coordinator (LEC) for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. In his position, Witt will act as a liaison between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and local, state, tribal and federal law enforcement throughout the Northern District of Oklahoma. The LEC further builds relationships within the community and promotes communication, engagement, and understanding of Department of Justice initiatives, law enforcement considerations, and crime prevention opportunities.

“Now more than ever, strong partnerships between the community and law enforcement are crucial to ensuring justice is experienced by every neighborhood in every community,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “I am proud to bring to my team Chris Witt, an experienced law enforcement officer and United States Marine Corps veteran. Chris understands the meaning of service to country and community, and that makes him a great fit as our Law Enforcement Coordinator. In his capacity as Coordinator, Chris will actively engage with the community and law enforcement in order to build partnerships, trust, and understanding. He will also help enhance communication and coordination between my office and all our law enforcement partners.”

 Witt comes to the U.S. Attorney’s Office with 38 years of law enforcement experience. Witt spent his first four years at the Bartlesville Police Department then joined the Tulsa Police Department where he retired Jan. 3, 2021. He most recently led the Special Events Unit in charge of security, logistics, and traffic control during parades, marathons, rallies and protests. Previously, he served on the Gang Unit, SWAT Team, Repeat Offender Unit, Child Crisis Unit, Fugitive Warrants, and acted as an instructor at the Police Academy. He has further taught SWAT tactics nationally as a member of the National Tactical Officers Association (NTOA).

Witt is also proud to have served on the Tulsa Police Department’s Honor Guard for 33 years and led the team for 21 of those years. The team conducts honors at funerals for active and retired officers who have passed away. Witt described one of his greatest honors as presenting the flag of the United States to the families of fallen officers.

Witt is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps (active duty) and U.S. Army Reserve, with a combined total of 10 years of service.

U.S. Attorney Trent Shores today announced the launch of Operation Clean Sweep aimed at holding accountable child predators throughout the Northern District of Oklahoma.

Operation Clean Sweep concentrates law enforcement efforts on counteracting the spike in internet facilitated child-exploitation crimes. The operation further seeks to identify and rescue any child victims located during the investigation.

“Protecting children from harm remains a top priority for me. To that end, my team will use all available tools to identify and remove child predators from our community. Today I am announcing Operation Clean Sweep, an initiative designed to prioritize helping victims of child sex abuse and holding accountable any adult who possesses, distributes, or manufactures child pornography,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “I have designated Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chris Nassar and Edward Snow to lead this Operation taking down child predators. I have the utmost confidence that, along with the 11 participating law enforcement agencies, AUSAs Nassar and Snow will make our streets safer for children.”

The operation’s first seven defendants were arrested and charged with distribution and receipt of child pornography and with possession of child pornography. The men made initial appearances in U.S. District Court this week. 

Defendants charged as part of the operation this week include:

• James Michael Brown, 63, of Tulsa (charged with possession of child pornography only)
• Michael Lee Figgeroa, 41, of Hominy
• Earl Hardy Morrow, 38, and Kory Morrow, 40, both of Broken Arrow
• Travis Pryce, 50, of Copan
• Aaron James Seney, 32, of Sapulpa
• Jerry Vantine, 74, of Tulsa

The production, consumption and trafficking of child pornography continues to expand at an exponential rate. In 2019, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline received more than 45 million child pornography files in 16.9 million CyberTipline reports. Those numbers increased significantly when compared to the just over 1.1 million reports made to the CyberTipline in 2014.

Further, NCMEC experienced a 63 per cent increase in CyberTipline reports between January and September 2020 versus the same time period in 2019. Of the tips reported in 2020, there was a 98.6 per cent increase in the number of cases involving adults attempting to engage in a sex act with a child through use of the internet.

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. The CyberTipline can be found here.

Operation Clean Sweep is led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christpher J. Nassar with support from Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Snow. Law enforcement agencies taking part in the operation are the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, 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, 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.  

A man pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Thomas Jason Smith, 40, pleaded guilty this morning before Chief U.S. District Judge John E. Dowdell. Smith is a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. His sentencing is set for April 14, 2021.

According to court documents, Smith was picked up by a friend in a stolen vehicle and taken to a hotel where they met up with several others. Tulsa Police Officers located the stolen vehicle at the hotel, observed several individuals exit the vehicle and enter a room, and then made contact with the group. In the hotel room, narcotics and multiple firearms were found. After a search of the stolen vehicle, officers discovered a .12 gauge shotgun in the back seat. In his plea agreement, Smith admitted that on August 8, 2020 he knowingly possessed a Tri-Star .12 gauge semi-automatic shotgun. He stated that he knew that his possession of the firearm was prohibited due to his criminal history.

“A stolen vehicle, illicit drugs, and guns are never a good combination, especially when those guns are possessed by a convicted felon,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Thanks to some great police work, Thomas Smith was caught in the midst of a number of crimes. Following a thorough investigation by the FBI and Tulsa Police, Thomas Smith admitted his guilt and accepted responsibility for his actions. This is another success story for our 2150 Initiative as we removed more illegally possessed guns from the street.”

The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cymetra M. Williams and Jeffrey A. Gallant are prosecuting the case.

The 2150 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 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.

An Owasso man was sentenced today in federal court for striking and killing William Houseman while eluding officers at speeds exceeding 90 mph in 2019.

U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan sentenced Michael Leon Johnson, 35, to 19 years in federal prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.

“Michael Leon Johnson can spend the next 19 years in federal prison reflecting on the tragic consequences of his reckless actions,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Today, the defendant heard firsthand from William Houseman’s widow, Darcy, about the impact of his actions. It was an incredibly moving and powerful statement. My thoughts today are with Darcy and their children. These cases are tough, and I appreciate Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Morgan for pursuing justice for this family."

In her statement to Johnson, Darcy Houseman shared how much she missed her husband and of the future experiences they could never share. Then she offered forgiveness to Johnson, stating in part “You can make a difference. You have a purpose. Please don’t waste it.”

On Oct. 13, 2020, Johnson pleaded guilty to second degree murder in Indian Country. Johnson admitted to leading officers on a chase through Tulsa streets in a stolen pick-up truck, running multiple red lights, driving into oncoming traffic and causing other drivers to divert off the road. Johnson struck the victim’s vehicle after running a red light at the intersection of 12900 East 11th St. Housman died as a result of his injuries. The collision occurred on Jan 12, 2019.

The FBI, Tulsa Police Department, and Tulsa Country Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark R. Morgan is prosecuting the case.

A Tulsa man pleaded guilty this morning after he forcefully pulled a woman from her car and then stole it, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Tyler Jonathan Martin, 28, of Tulsa, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge John E. Dowdell. Martin is an enrolled member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. His sentencing is set for April 12, 2021.

“When his efforts to verbally intimidate an elderly woman were unsuccessful, Tyler Martin used physical violence to push her to the ground and steal her truck from a Walmart parking lot,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “I’m thankful the victim is okay now and commend the FBI, Tulsa Police Department, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Fletcher for their collaborative efforts.”

In his plea agreement, Martin admitted that on July 7, 2019 he used force, violence, and intimidation to take a Ford F-150 from the victim. Martin stated that he approached the victim in a Walmart parking lot and demanded that she give him the keys to her truck. When the victim refused, Martin admitted to pulling her from the truck and pushing her to the ground. When the keys fell to the ground, Martin grabbed the keys and drove off, knowing that the victim had sustained injuries from his actions.

The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin C. Fletcher is prosecuting 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.

A man pleaded guilty this morning to attempted robbery in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Mason Ray Razo, 19, of Glenpool, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge John E. Dowdell. Razo is an enrolled member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. His sentencing is set for April 12, 2021.

“My team adopted this case because of the Supreme Court’s McGirt decision and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Duncombe worked hard to ensure justice for the victim and accountability for a violent criminal,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “We’ve seen an increase in gun-related violent crimes over the past twelve months. Credit goes to the Glenpool Police Department, Tulsa Police Department, and Federal Bureau of Investigation for being on the front lines to stop violent criminals like Mason Razo.”

In his plea agreement, Razo admitted that on April 1, 2020 he attempted to commit robbery within the Muscogee (Creek) Reservation in the Northern District of Oklahoma. He stated that he and his codefendants went to the Tulsa home of an acquaintance, in order to take items of value by force, violence, or fear. Further, Razo stated that he brought a firearm with the intention of using it in the course of the robbery and that he wore a mask in an attempt to hide his identity.

Video footage from a door security system showed Razo and his codefendants standing outside the Tulsa home and preparing to break in. The video shows Razo attempting to break the door down but then stopping after hearing a loud noise inside. Razo and the others fled the scene before they could get inside to complete the robbery.

The FBI, Tulsa Police Department, and Glenpool Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Duncombe is prosecuting the case.

A Tulsa man pleaded guilty Thursday to maintaining a drug involved premises and to possession with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Shane McClearan Wright, 44, of Tulsa, pleaded guilty to all five counts of the indictment before U.S. District Court Judge Claire V. Eagan. Wright’s sentencing is scheduled for April 7, 2021.

“Heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine are quite the trifecta of addiction and death to be trafficking. Shane Wright brought these illicit narcotics to Northern Oklahoma and now he is facing the consequences. I appreciate the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, and local law enforcement for their vigilance to keep dangerous drugs off our streets,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “This is yet another conviction secured by the diligent efforts of our Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn McCormick. Her vigilance and commitment to enforcing our nation’s drug laws should make traffickers think twice before bringing their illicit business here.”

“Our special agents and dedicated support staff at HSI Tulsa are relentlessly committed to protecting the communities we serve from dangerous drug traffickers and their cohorts,” said Ryan L. Spradlin, special agent in charge of HSI Dallas. “We will continue working with our valued law enforcement partners to bring to justice those involved in the illicit drug trade.”

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

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick is prosecuting the case.

“The violence committed this week at our Nation’s Capitol Building and surrounding areas was illegal and an affront to an American institution of democracy and rule of law.

At this time, the Department of Justice and FBI are requesting the public’s assistance to identify individuals who may have taken part in violent or destructive acts on the U.S. Capitol. If, after investigation, the FBI finds substantial and credible evidence that individuals from the Northern District of Oklahoma planned to commit violent acts against the Capitol and travelled to Washington, DC, with the intent to carry out those acts, or committed unlawful acts of violence, the U.S. Attorney’s Office stands ready to bring charges against those individuals, or to assist the District of Columbia U.S. Attorney’s Office in prosecuting acts over which it has primary jurisdiction. If any Oklahoman has information to help identify individuals participating in rioting or violence in or around the U.S. Capitol Building, the FBI urges you to submit information, photos, or videos that could be relevant to tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI. Because the FBI’s investigation into these attacks is ongoing, we cannot comment further. I want to be clear that any criminal investigation will pertain to suspected or alleged criminal conduct. It was not a crime for Oklahomans to travel to Washington, DC, to participate in constitutionally protected activities, such as peaceable assembly or a political rally.” 

The direct FBI link to provide information about events that occurred at the U.S. Capitol is: https://tips.fbi.gov/digitalmedia/aad18481a3e8f02

A man has been sentenced today in federal court for fraudulently using another individual’s identity to purchase an RV in the Northern District of Oklahoma, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Ryan Andy Cuevas, 32, of Moreno Valley, California, has been sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge John E. Dowdell to 21 months in federal prison and 3 years supervised release.

“Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States. The ramifications for victims can be devastating, personally and financially,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Identity thieves like Ryan Cuevas will be prosecuted vigorously in this district. I applaud the efforts of the Social Security Administration’s Inspector General and Bartlesville Police Department for their great investigative work on this case.”

In his plea agreement, Cuevas admitted that on November 30, 2019, having traveled to Oklahoma from California, he went to Bob Hurley RV in Tulsa to purchase a recreational vehicle fraudulently. He used the identity of a man in California, without his permission, while duping the dealership into a vehicle sale. Cuevas used the man’s name and social security number to apply for credit financing, knowing the dealership would submit the loan application papers to Tinker Federal Credit Union for the purpose of obtaining the funds to purchase the RV. He secured $38,000 to purchase the vehicle. Bob Hurley was able to recover the RV once Cuevas’ fraud was discovered.

The Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General and the Bartlesville Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin C. Leitch prosecuted the case.

A Tulsa man has been sentenced today after he attempted to send obscene material to an individual he believed was a 14-year-old girl, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Aaron Charles Merritt, 34, was sentenced to 54 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release in front of U.S. District Court Judge John E. Dowdell. Further, Merritt will have to forfeit the electronic devices that were used or intended to be used to facilitate his crime.

From March, 2020 until May, 2020, Merritt used an online messaging service to send numerous messages of a sexual nature to someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl; however, it was an undercover agent. Throughout his messages, Merritt asked questions about the young girl’s age and if she had a history of “hooking up” with older men she met on the internet. Further, Merritt acknowledged the legal consequences for engaging in sexual activity with her. Merritt continued sexual inquiries and sent a photo of his face, multiple photos of him masturbating, and a photo of he and a woman engaging in a sex act. Merritt went as far to say that he was not just communicating out of fantasy, but wanted to have children with the young woman he believed he was corresponding with. Merritt was ultimately arrested at his home, where officers located the mobile device used in the communications.

“Sadly, the facts of this case are far too common a story in today’s society: an adult male used the internet to sexually exploit a young child,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Fortunately, in this case, it was an undercover officer on the other end of that conversation and this predator was brought to justice.”

The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Nassar and Melody Noble Nelson prosecuted the case.

A former pre-school teacher pleaded guilty today to distributing, receiving, and possessing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Andrew Glenn Perrine, 31, of Tulsa, pleaded guilty to distribution and receipt of child pornography and to possession of child pornography from June 28, 2019, to July 14, 2020.

In July 2020, Investigators from the Tulsa Police Cyber Crimes Unit and agents with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) received information that someone using the internet at Perrine’s residence had been distributing child pornography using a social media messaging app. When investigators conducted a search, officers recovered numerous electronic items. A forensic examination discovered more than 50 sexually explicit photos of children that had been downloaded from the internet.

Perrine, a former pre-school teacher at B’nai Emunah Preschool in Tulsa and former teacher at Bartlesville Middle School, confessed to downloading child pornography for more than 15 years and to possessing photos of children as young as 10 years old.

The Tulsa Police Department and ICE-HSI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar is prosecuting the case.

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

A man who robbed two Tulsa banks, claiming to have a bomb and firearms, was sentenced today in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Thomas Lawrence Dean, 52, of Tulsa, has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release for two counts of bank robbery using a dangerous weapon, conveying false information on hoaxes, and being a felon in possession of a .38 Special revolver and associated ammunition. Further, restitution is mandatory to IBC Bank in the amount of $1,448.00.

“Thomas Dean earned every day of this twelve-year sentence when he used the threat of bombs and guns to rob two banks, even going so far as to create a fake explosive device. Moreover, the note he passed to the teller was just as scary as he threatened a ‘killing spree,’” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Thank goodness for the swift response of the Tulsa Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Their joint investigation paired with the prosecutorial efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Rob Raley achieved this just result and accountability for this criminal.”

In his plea agreement, Dean admitted to robbing an International Bank of Commerce (IBC) on July 1, 2019. Dean stated that he disguised himself and carried a black bag containing an apparatus that looked like an explosive device. According to court documents, Dean approached a teller and handed her a note demanding money. In the note, Dean indicated that he was in possession of a bomb and firearm. He left the bank with a total of $500 then discarded the black bag with the fake explosive device and two BB guns inside.

On July 10, 2019, Dean also robbed an Arvest Bank, handing the teller a note that stated, “This is a robbery….Don’t make this a killing spree.” Dean also indicated in the note that he had a firearm. The defendant left the bank with $1,250 but was later located by Tulsa Police Officers.

The Tulsa Police Department and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert T. Raley prosecuted the case. AUSA Raley is the National Security Anti-Terrorism (ATAC) Prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Oklahoma.

A man who acted as a redistributor in a heroin trafficking operation with ties to the New Generation Cartel was sentenced in federal court today, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan sentenced Sean Wasson, 27, to 87 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. The Court further recommended to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons that Wasson take part in a residential drug abuse treatment program.

“Sean Wasson is on his way to federal prison for the next seven years because of the kilos of heroin he distributed in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “As a local redistributor for a heroin trafficking operation with ties to Mexico’s New Generation Cartel, Wasson posed a real threat to our community. In this case, our Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force has secured an important conviction and sentence.”

Wasson was convicted as a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation titled Operation Smack Dragon. He was charged in a superseding indictment on Sept. 10, 2020, with possession of heroin with intent to distribute. As part of the drug trafficking operation, Wasson acted as a redistributor with his own customer base. For nearly two years he distributed between one and three kilograms of heroin into the Tulsa community.

Wasson was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation in partnership with the U.S. Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigation; the Oklahoma State Attorney General’s Office; and Tulsa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn McCormick is prosecuting this case. AUSA McCormick is the Lead Attorney for the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit for the Northern District of Oklahoma.

A Norman man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court for his role as a money launderer in a Nigerian romance scam that defrauded multiple victims, including elder Americans, of millions, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Tobiloba Kehinde, 28, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering before U.S. District Court Judge Gregory K. Frizzell. Kehinde’s sentencing hearing is set for March 29, 2021.

“In the last year, Americans were defrauded out of more than $200 million due to romance scams. Whether these con artists are romancing vulnerable elder victims online or facilitating money laundering to hide the illicit proceeds, this U.S. Attorney’s Office will never stop fighting to get justice for the victims,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Today, Tobiloba Kehinde, becomes the third conspirator brought to justice for his role in a Nigerian romance scheme.”

In his plea agreement, Kehinde admitted that he knew the money involved in the financial transactions involved the proceeds from unlawful activity. He further stated that he knew the financial transactions were designed, in whole or in part, to conceal or disguise the nature, the location, the source, the ownership, or the control of the proceeds of the unlawful activity.

From 2017 through and November 2019, Kehinde knowingly concealed the proceeds of a romance scam operation by moving money between and among multiple bank accounts that were opened under various aliases using fake passports and other fraudulent identification documents to obscure the source of the funds and the identities of the co-conspirators. Court documents state that he and his co-conspirators took further steps to conceal the source of the funds, took a commission, and directed the remainder of the funds back to the online romance scammers in Nigeria, including in the form of vehicles and vehicle parts.

According to court documents, Kehinde coordinated with overseas co-conspirators who had assumed false identities on online dating websites and social media platforms with the intent to defraud victims. Kehinde opened several accounts using fraudulent identities, including “Jeff Atto” and “Ari Lawson,” then provided the account and routing numbers to the overseas co-conspirators.  The overseas co-conspirators told victims they were U.S. residents working abroad. In fact, the investigation revealed that these overseas co-conspirators were located in Nigeria. As these online “relationships” continued, the overseas co-conspirators’ would request increasingly larger sums of money, claiming that the funds were needed to complete business projects or to return to the United States. The victims were directed by the overseas co-conspirators to send funds to Kehinde and others’ bank accounts, assuring the victims that he would allocate the money as needed.

Kehinde and his co-defendants were charged in November 2019. Afeez Olajide Adebara, 35, and John Oluwaseun Ogundele, 31, have also pleaded guilty.

The remaining defendants are Joshua Naandom Ditep, 26, Nigerian citizen and lawful permanent resident of the United States residing in Norman; Paul Usoro, 26, Nigerian citizen and lawful permanent resident of the United States residing in Norman; Chibuzo Godwin Obiefuna, Jr., 27, U.S. citizen residing in Long Beach, California; Jamiu Ibukun Adedeji, 24, Nigerian citizen, residing in Norman; First and last name unknown #1, who maintained an address in Brooklyn, New York; First and last name unknown #2, who maintained an address in Dallas, Texas; and First and last name unknown #3, who maintained an address in Dallas, Texas. Ditep, Usoro, Obiefuna, and Adedeji await trial while the three additional co-defendants remain fugitives.  These remaining defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The FBI’s Oklahoma City Field Office conducted the investigation. Trial Attorney Babasijibomi Moore of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Nassar of the Northern District of Oklahoma are prosecuting the case.

A woman was sentenced in federal court today after stealing cash and hydrocodone tablets from packages while working for the U.S. Postal Service, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Jennifer Louise Bruce, 44, of Jennings, received a sentence of three years of probation from Chief U.S. District Judge John E. Dowdell. Bruce was convicted of mail theft after stealing hydrocodone tablets from packages mailed by a VA Medical Center and Outpatient Clinics on several different occasions and stealing cash from cards that had been mailed through the Postal Service.

“Abusing a position of trust within the U.S. Postal Service for the purpose of stealing drugs and money undermines the public’s trust in an essential government service. Jennifer Bruce violated the sanctity of the mail by corruptly acting for personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

In her plea agreement, Bruce admitted to stealing money from cards and controlled substances from packages that had been mailed. She stated that during this time, she was employed by the U.S. Postal Service as a Sales and Services Associate. Over a four-month period, Bruce admitted that she stole a total of 240 hydrocodone tablets.

The Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Postal Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph F. Wilson, now retired, and Kevin C. Leitch prosecuted the case.

A Tulsa man was sentenced in federal court this afternoon for a wire fraud scheme in which he conned a coworker out of more than $90,000, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Christopher Jeremy McConnell, 35, was sentenced to five years of probation with eight months home confinement by Chief U.S. District Judge John E. Dowdell. Further, McConnell will be required to pay $90,440.49 to the victim, which is equivalent to the monetary loss the victim incurred due to McConnell’s criminal activity.

“Christopher McConnell made shimmering promises about silver and gold. His promises were empty, but his fraudulent intent was all too real. He defrauded his victim out of more than $90,000 of her hard earned money,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “McConnell must now pay back that which he stole and make the victim whole again. I commend the FBI for their investigation into this deceitful scheme.”

In his plea agreement, McConnell admitted that from November 2016 to July 2017 he befriended the victim, who was a coworker. He stated that he learned of an investment account that the victim held and he fraudulently persuaded her to transfer her investment funds to his account, promising her that he could manage her funds and invest them in “Euro-Dollars” and silver and gold for her benefit.  However, McConnell stated that instead of investing the funds the victim transferred to him, he spent the money almost entirely on personal expenditures, including food, retail items, travel, and personal investment, all without the victim’s knowledge.

The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard M. Cella prosecuted the case.

U.S. Attorney Trent Shores today announced the Northern District of Oklahoma collected $6,409,728.95 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2020.  Of this amount, $3,259,066.71 was collected in criminal actions and $3,150,662.24 was collected in civil actions.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Asset Recovery Unit diligently works to ensure that restitution and fines are paid in full and that civil financial obligations are met,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “The more than $6.4 million collected in criminal and civil actions this year reflects our commitment to safeguarding taxpayer resources and ensuring victims of crime receive a full measure of justice, including financial restitution, compensation, and access to victim related services.”

U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Justice Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States and criminal debts owed to victims of federal crimes. Defendants are required by law to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid directly to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the Justice Department’s Crime Victims’ Fund, which distributes the funds to state victim compensation and assistance programs.

Examples of the Northern District of Oklahoma’s  FY 2020 Collection Efforts:

• In a 2018, the Court ordered the forfeiture of a Jack Clark’s properties after he was convicted of filing over $10,000,000 in false excise tax refund claims with the IRS. The refunds were used by the defendant, former president of Clark Oil Distributors, Inc.,  to fuel an extravagant lifestyle. In March 2020, the United States received $1,905,776.29 from the sale of one of those properties.
• Other forfeiture examples include $67,000 and a vehicle as part of Operation Smack Dragon and  $7,500 worth of firearms from Operation Ice N Go.

The Asset Recovery Unit also ensures the collection of restitution ordered by the Court for victims of crimes.

• In 2017, the court ordered Mark Long, a defendant who downloaded and viewed child pornography, to pay $24,000 in restitution to the children victimized during the production of the pornography. Through the Inmate Financial Responsibility Program and a large payment after the defendant was released from prison, the victims in this case were paid in full in FY 2020.
• In a second case, Barbara Jo Porter, a member of a philanthropic organization, used the organization’s credit card to withdraw cash for her own personal use. During sentencing, the Court ordered the defendant to pay $20,232.35 in restitution to the organization. The defendant made her final payment in FY2020.

The civil False Claims Act is an important tool used to protect the integrity of taxpayer-funded health care programs and allows the government to address losses it sustains by providing for civil monetary penalties.

• In FY 2020, the U.S. Attorney’s Office civil division assessed such a penalty against a Louisiana physician assistant for accepting illegal pharmacy kickback payments in return for recommending and prescribing compounded drugs from OK Compounding. He entered into a settlement agreement with the United States, agreeing to pay $620, 508.36.
• In another settlement agreement, a Texas doctor agreed to pay the United States $300,000 to resolve False Claims Act allegations that he accepted illegal kickback payments from OK Compounding. The settlement agreements resolved allegations against both men.

Overall, the Justice Department collected more than $15.9 billion in civil and criminal actions in fiscal year (FY) 2020 ending Sept. 30, 2020. The $15,988,516,670 in collections in FY 2020 represents more than five times the approximately $3.2 billion appropriated budget for the 94 U.S. Attorneys’ offices and the main litigating divisions of the Justice Department combined in that same period. The total includes all monies collected as a result of Justice Department-led enforcement actions and negotiated civil settlements.  It includes more than $13.5 billion in payments made directly to the Justice Department, and more than $2.4 billion in indirect payments made to other federal agencies, states and other designated recipients.

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.