Northern District of Oklahoma

A 19-year-old Tulsa man was sentenced to prison yesterday for carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Terence C. Kern sentenced Isaiah Blaine Ousley, 19, of Tulsa to 84 months of imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release.

Court documents show that on July 13, 2022, Ousley committed an armed carjacking in broad daylight. He approached a woman who just exited her vehicle after lunch. Ousley pointed his firearm at the woman and demanded her keys. She complied with his demands, and he drove away in the vehicle. Ousley was spotted driving the vehicle, pulled over and arrested several hours later. He had a loaded firearm in his possession.

He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.

The FBI and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan E. Michel prosecuted the case.

A Tulsa man was sentenced today to 13 years in prison for sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Gregory L. Frizzell sentenced Ronald Paul Phillippe, 59, of Tulsa to 156 months imprisonment, followed by lifetime supervised release.

According to court documents, from Sept. 2018 through Oct. 2021, Phillippe knowingly sexually abused a child under 12 years old. Phillippe is an enrolled member of Cherokee Nation. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.

The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie N. Ihler 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 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.

U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Dillon Charles Wilson, 27, citizen of Muscogee (Creek) Nation, to 262 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release for second degree murder.

“Dillon Wilson made a fatal decision that took the life of another man,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Jamitric Landrum’s family and loved ones are forever altered by this decision. My condolences go out to Mr. Landrum’s loved ones.”

According to court documents, on January 19, 2022, Jamitric Landrum and his girlfriend were at home when someone attempted to force the door open. They opened the door and saw a dark figure going around the corner. They left the apartment and got into their vehicle to look for the suspect. Jamitric was driving and pulled into a parking lot. He got into a brief verbal interaction with Dillon Charles Wilson. Jamitric’s girlfriend saw that Wilson was armed and told Jamitric to drive away. As they drove away, Wilson deliberately and intentionally began shooting at the vehicle striking Jamitric in the back. Law enforcement responded to the shooting. Jamitric was transported to the hospital where he later died from the gunshot wound.

Wilson has a prior criminal conviction for conduct related to robbery with a firearm as well as eluding a police officer. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.

The FBI and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Brasher prosecuted the case.

This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s DOJ Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.

U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell, sentenced Jeffery David Sutton, 55, to 157 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. In Oct. 2022, Sutton was convicted by a federal jury for carrying, using, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and assault with dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country. Judge Frizzell further ordered Sutton to pay $5,000 in restitution.

In Dec. 2021, Sutton got into an argument with his girlfriend, whom he told to move out of his house. The girlfriend moved her things out the next day and was waiting for a ride to pick her up. Sutton changed his mind, returned home and the parties argued in the front yard. Sutton then went to his truck, pulled a handgun and started shooting at his girlfriend.

He fired at least eight times toward her. Multiple bullets hit the doorway she was standing in, and one hit her in the chest. While Sutton was shooting at her, he stated he was going to kill her, as well as her family.

Tulsa County Sheriff’s Department was the first to respond to the scene and found Sutton in the front lawn, with an empty firearm and he was taken into custody. Law enforcement personnel applied pressure to the victim’s wound. She was transported to the hospital, treated, and later released from the hospital.

Court records show that Sutton was the owner of a Bixby gun store and trained in handling firearms. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.

The FBI, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office and Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven J. Briden and Kristin F. Harrington prosecuted the case.

U.S. District Judge Terence C. Kern sentenced Lauren Michelle Owen, 40, of Jenks, to 27 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. In January, Owen pleaded guilty to bank fraud, wire fraud, and tax evasion. Judge Kern further ordered Owen to pay more than $1.2 million in restitution.

“Lauren Owen engaged in multiple fraudulent schemes, including taking advantage of her employer’s kindness solely to enrich her luxurious lifestyle at the expense of others,” stated U.S. Attorney Clinton Johnson. “This sentencing and restitution will show criminals that fraudulent schemes will not go unpunished.”

“Miss Owen thought stealing from the government would be a victimless crime, but the money set aside for COVID relief was designed to help small businesses stay open through the pandemic,” said Christopher J. Altemus Jr., special agent in charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation’s Dallas Field Office.  “Miss Owen’s actions kept money out of the hands of others who would have used it to pay employees and keep their businesses open, as it was intended. Instead, she used it and other illegal financial activities to elevate her lifestyle. CI and our partners have ensured she has been held accountable for her actions.”

According to court documents, in 2010, Lauren Owen was hired by her employer as a secretary. She gained the trust of her employer and was eventually promoted to vice president and sole financial officer. Owen’s duties included handling the financial books and records for the company, paying bills and preparing checks for legitimate business expenses, overseeing payroll, hiring and firing personnel. She would make unauthorized checks to herself, payments on her personal credit cards, and unauthorized wage payments to herself from her employer’s accounts. These fraudulent transactions totaled more than $750,000 loss to her employer. 

After losing her job, in November of 2021, Owen devised a plan to defraud the Small Business Association (SBA) after Congress passed the CARES Act in response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and economic crisis. She falsified an application for a loan, on behalf of Platinum Assets, LLC, a company she owned and controlled. She lied on the application stating that she’d never been criminally charged, when in fact she had previously been arraigned in state court for embezzlement. She falsely signed and certified the application that the information she provided was true and correct, to the best of her knowledge. After approving the loan, the SBA deposited more than $384,000 in Owen’s bank account whereafter Owen improperly misapplied the loan proceeds by purchasing a 2018 Chevrolet Corvette, a 40-foot yacht and paying off a loan on a 2018 Ford F-250.

From 2016 through 2020, Owen further attempted to evade substantial income tax from her misconduct. She failed to report her extra, illegal income she was received from her embezzlement. Owen admitted that she tried to hide her income by making unauthorized transactions. She knew reporting her income correctly would leave her owing more than $61,000 in unpaid taxes and agreed to pay the IRS an additional $67,800 in other unpaid taxes.  

Owen was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility at a later date.

The Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Secret Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David D. Whipple prosecuted the case.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit justice.gov/coronavirus and justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form

United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the November 2023 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.

Brandon Lee Cooper. Kidnapping in Indian Country; Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Suffocating in Indian Country; Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to an Intimate/Dating Partner in Indian Country. Cooper, 27, of Tulsa, a Muscogee (Creek) Nation member, is charged with kidnapping, assaulting, and causing bodily harm to a dating partner on Oct. 28, 2023. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Brandon is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-379

Melik Deshawn Davis. Robbery in Indian Country (Counts 1, 2); Assault with Intent to Commit a Felony in Indian Country (Counts 3, 4); Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Counts 5, 6). Davis, 24, of Tulsa, a Muscogee (Creek) Nation member, is charged with robbing and assaulting his victims on Sep. 18, 2023. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Dunn and Stephen N. Scaife are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-376

Damon Michael Dozier. Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force and Threat in Indian Country; Kidnapping of a Minor in Indian Country. Dozier, 40, transient, a Muscogee (Creek) Nation member, is charged with sexually assaulting a minor child under 16 years old and holding the victim against their will on Jun. 12, 2023. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen N. Scaife is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-375

Jose Juan-Lopez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien; Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm; Use of Immigration Identification Document Not Legally Issued; False Statement on Official Document; Use of False Social Security Number; Aggravated Identity Theft. Juan-Lopez, 40, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed, illegally possessing a firearm, and possessing identification cards not belonging to him. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot P. Anderson is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-374

Christopher Lee Juanito Noear. Assault of a Spouse/Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling in Indian Country; Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Noear, 35, of Tulsa, a Muscogee (Creek) Nation member, is charged with is charged with strangling a dating partner, and being in possession of a firearm after a felony conviction. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Flynn is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-372

Wyatt Douglas Miller; Kevin Ramses Rocha; Tyler Dewayne Rogers; Jonah Maxwell Fesman; Antonio Ernesto Munoz; Juan Manuel Camacho-Zarate; Cameron David Martin; Ilyess Hadri Talbi; Steven Lin; Gilbert Immanuel; Jared Chan Zi Jie; Jordan Goh Zhi Hao; Darren Khoo Zhi En; Bryan Goh Chun Hee; Cai Jin Cheng; Tan Kian Wei; Daniel Holland; Prit Patel. Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud (superseding). Miller, 24, San Marcos, CA; Rocha, 24, Littlerock, CA; Rogers, 24, Goleta, CA; Fesman, 23, Altadena, CA; Munoz, 24, Palmdale, CA; Camacho-Zarate, 25, Santa Maria, CA; Martin, 23, Winter Garden, FL; Talbi, 20, Columbus, OH; Lin, 27, Philadelphia, PA;  Immanuel, 25, Lutz, FL; Zi Jie, 25, Republic of Singapore; Zhi Hao, 23, Republic of Singapore; Zhi En, 23, Republic of Singapore; Chun Hee, 25, Republic of Singapore; Cheng, 24, Republic of Singapore; Wei, 24, Republic of Singapore; Hong Wei, 25, Republic of Singapore; Holland, 24, United Kingdom; Patel, 24, Canada, are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud as a part of an international conspiracy to defraud online retailers through a variety of schemes collectively known as “refund fraud”. The cyber squads of the FBI’s Oklahoma City and Birmingham Field Offices, as well as agents from the FBI Seattle Field Office are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Nassar, Matthew P. Cyran, and Ashley Robert are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-331

Luis Armando Mendez-Matias. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Mendez-Matias, 39, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Jan. 2, 2020, at or near Brownsville, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-373

Juan Carlos Moreno-Lopez; Samuel Ulises Ortega; Jose Ortiz-Tapia; Jorge Luis Cruz-Diaz; Jesus Roberto Lujano-Urquiza; Joseph Anthony Raniewicz; Brittany Welch. Continuing Criminal Enterprise (Count 1); Drug Conspiracy (Count 2); Distribution of Methamphetamine (Counts 3 – 6); Distribution of Fentanyl (Count 7); Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (Counts 8 – 9); Use of a Communication Facility in Committing, Causing and Facilitating the Commission of a Drug Trafficking Felony (Counts 10 – 14) (superseding). Moreno-Lopez, 25; Ortega, 53; Ortiz-Tapia, 34; Cruz-Diaz, 29; Lujano-Urquiza, 33; Raniewicz, 42, Tulsa; Welch, 33, Claremore, are charged with drug conspiracy, and distribution of meth and fentanyl, beginning in January of 2021 through November of 2023. The Drug Enforcement Administration is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-136

Juan Ramon Pulido Romero. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Romero, 35, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Jan. 4, 2014, at or near Del Rio, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney David D. Whipple is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-370

Juan Ramos-Duran. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Ramos-Duran, 32, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Jan. 18, 2016, at or near Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot P. Anderson is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-371

Daniel Ray Sanders. Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Sanders, 40, transient, a Cherokee Nation member, is charged with strangling and causing bodily harm to an intimate partner and on a separate occasion assaulting the same intimate partner with a dangerous weapon, both in Indian Country.
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele W. Hulgaard is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-381

Ricardo Sandoval-Chavez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Ricardo Sandoval-Chavez, 32, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Apr. 22, 2017, at or near Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-368

Christian Sanchez-Flores. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Sanchez-Flores, 26, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Feb. 1, 2019, at or near Nogales, Arizona. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-369

Jacob Shoate. Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling in Indian Country; First Degree Burglary in Indian Country; Witness Tampering. Shoate, 22, of Tulsa, a Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma member, is charged with strangling, breaking into a residence and preventing the victim from calling 911. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Weems is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-382

Nelson Alexis Torres Leon; Roberto Quiroz Lopez; Jose Isla-Chavez. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute. Leon, 23, of The Village, Lopez, 49, of Tulsa, are charged with possessing and distributing fentanyl and heroin. Lopez is also charged with maintaining a residence for distributing fentanyl and heroin. Isla-Chavez, 29 of Tulsa, is charged with possessing and distributing fentanyl and maintain a residence for distribution of fentanyl. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-380

Victor Vallejo-Rivera. Kidnapping in Indian Country; Witness Tampering; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding in Indian Country (Misdemeanor). Vallejo-Rivera, 33 of Tulsa, is charged with kidnapping, preventing the victim from contacting 911, and assaulting with intent to do harm. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Weems is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-367

A Tulsa native, now residing in Texas, was sentenced today for bank fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Shane Michael Hannaford, 41, of Prosper, Texas, to 33 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Judge Frizzell further ordered Hannaford to pay more than $800,000 in total restitution to eleven victims.  

According to court documents, Hannaford was indicted for ten separate counts of bank fraud covering various fraudulent conduct. On Apr. 15, 2022, Hannaford plead guilty to one count of bank fraud and agreed to pay restitution for the entirety of his criminal conduct. As to the one count conviction, Hannaford admitted that he owned and controlled Hannaford Development Group (HDG). Operating under HDG, Hannaford entered into a verbal and written agreement with a lending company to finance construction costs for a church located in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Hannaford admitted to fraudulently representing to the lender that he intended to repay the monies borrowed, which was false.

Hannaford was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.

The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David D. Whipple prosecuted the case.

A Tulsa couple were indicted for an opium poppy seed drug conspiracy resulting in the death of Utah woman.

Brandon David McCarthy, 37, and spouse, Rachel Christine McCarthy, 34, of Tulsa, are charged with Drug Conspiracy; Distribution of Morphine, Codeine, and Thebaine; Distribution of Morphine, Codeine, and Thebaine Resulting in Death; Possession of Morphine, Codeine, and Thebaine with Intent to Distribute; Distribution of Material; Possession of Materials with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug Involved Premises; Money Laundering Conspiracy; Engaging in Monetary Transactions of Proceeds Derived from a Specified Unlawful Activity.

According to the multi count criminal indictment, Brandon David McCarthy and Rachel Christine McCarthy (“McCarthys”) are owners of Lone Goose Bakery, an online retailer of unprocessed poppy seeds coated in opium latex. Opium latex is a byproduct of the opium poppy plant that contains opiate alkaloids, including morphine, codeine, and thebaine, scheduled II controlled substances.

From June 2017 through November of 2020, the McCarthys illegally sold unprocessed poppy seeds coated in opium latex to opiate users. Lone Goose Bakery purchased bulk quantities of unprocessed poppy seeds coated in opium latex and repackaged the seeds for resale across the United States. It is alleged that the McCarthys produced books and videos about poppy seed tea made with unprocessed poppy seeds coated in opium latex.  These materials were marketed on the internet and social media. The tea was promoted to help reduce pain, reduce anxiety, improve sleep, and lower blood pressure.  Additionally, the tea was advertised as an anti-diarrheal with beneficial vitamins and minerals. The indictment alleges that a single dose of poppy seed tea made with Lone Goose Bakery unprocessed poppy seeds coated in opium latex could expose a consumer up to approximately 1,200 milligrams of morphine.

The majority of buyers of Lone Goose Bakery’s unprocessed poppy seeds coated in opium latex were individuals purchasing the product for personal consumption. It is alleged that Lone Goose Bakery’s poppy seeds were not processed to an edible food grade standard. In Dec. of 2018, a Utah woman consumed tea made from Lone Goose Bakery’s unprocessed poppy seeds coated in opium latex, overdosed, and died.

From November 2017 through November 2020, the McCarthys received over $12 million in payments from the sale of unprocessed poppy seeds coated in opium latex. Court records show that the proceeds were later spent on real estate, property improvements, art, vehicles, and precious metals, including gold and silver coins.

If convicted, Brandon and Rachel McCarthy face up to life in prison.

The Drug Enforcement Administration is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Reagan V. Reininger is prosecuting the case.

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

An indictment in the Northern District of Oklahoma was unsealed today, charging ten men for conspiracy to commit wire fraud as a part of an international conspiracy to defraud online retailers through a variety of schemes collectively known as “refund fraud”.

From April 2019, through the date of the Indictment on October 19, 2023, the self-styled Artemis Refund Group (“ARG”) engaged in numerous refund fraud schemes to steal goods from online retailers for themselves and others. ARG advertised their refund fraud services heavily on online messaging forums, which resulted in hundreds of customers of the fraud placing thousands of refund fraud orders. Some of these fraudulently refunded orders were shipped to the Northern District of Oklahoma, giving rise to venue in this district.

As part of the refund fraud conspiracy, ARG would instruct fraud customers to purchase a product of their choice at one of the many retailers they targeted, collect information about the order, and then contact the retailer to initiate a fraudulent refund transaction using a variety of methods tailored to the particular retailer. After ARG was successful in deceiving the retailer into processing a fraudulent refund, the fraud customers would maintain possession of the item, but would be refunded the entire purchase price. ARG charged customers of the fraud between 15-20% of the total price of the refunded item. Members of ARG also engaged in the scheme to obtain stolen goods for themselves and resell them on online marketplaces for profit.

These refund fraud schemes resulted in millions of dollars in losses to online retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, Target, Wayfair, Dell Technologies, Dicks’ Sporting Goods, HP, and Adidas, among others.

Wyatt Douglas Miller, 24, San Marcos, CA; Kevin Ramses Rocha, 24, Littlerock, CA; Tyler Dewayne Rogers, 24, Goleta, CA; Jonah Maxwell Fesman, 23, Altadena, CA; Antonio Ernesto Munoz, 24, Palmdale, CA; Juan Manuel Camacho-Zarate, 25, Santa Maria, CA; Cameron David Martin, 23, Winter Garden, FL; Ilyess Hadri Talbi, 20, Columbus, OH; Steven Lin, 27, Philadelphia, PA; Gilbert Immanuel, 25, Lutz, FL participated in the scheme, along with unindicted coconspirators in Singapore, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

“The indictment of the members of the Artemis Refund Group shows that cybercriminals cannot hide behind the anonymity of the internet,” said U.S. Attorney Clinton J. Johnson. “Thanks to efforts of the FBI and the prosecutors of my office, the ARG conspirators will now face justice in the Northern District of Oklahoma. We will continue to work with victim companies and our partners here and abroad to ensure cybercriminals cannot misuse the internet for illicit gain.”

“The individuals named in today’s indictment all had an alleged role in an international conspiracy to cheat the online retail system and profit at the expense of American businesses,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “These charges illustrate the FBI’s dedication and ongoing efforts with our partners across the globe to combat fraud in its many forms.”

If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence or fines after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The cyber squads of the FBI’s Oklahoma City and Birmingham Field Offices, as well as agents from the FBI Seattle Field Office are investigating the case. This case is part of the FBI’s Operation Chargeback, an ongoing investigation into ARG and other refund fraud groups across the US and internationally. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Nassar, Matthew P. Cyran, and Ashley Robert are prosecuting the case.

Substantial assistance and cooperation was provided by Target, Amazon’s Customer Protection and Enforcement Team, Walmart, Wayfair, Dell Technologies, Dick’s Sporting Goods, HP, Adidas, Google’s CyberCrime Investigation Group, and eBay’s Criminal & Regulatory Investigations Team.

For more resources on cybercrime, visit www.ic3.gov.

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

United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the November 2023 Federal Grand Jury A.

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

Pablo Escobar-us. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Pablo Escobar-us, 30, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Feb. 18, 2014, at or near Brownsville, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-363

Edgar Garcia-Rodriguez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Edgar Garcia-Rodriguez, 22, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Jan. 23, 2022, at or near Brownsville, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-362

Lerontez Sherod Hill; Bobbe Gene Taylor; Tashonna Leigh Anderson; Walter Jay Johnson; Kemareay Keishion Green; Jeremiah Hamlin. Kidnapping; Obstructing, Delaying, and Affecting Commerce by Robbery; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; (superseding). Hill, 38, of Tulsa; Taylor, 25, of Tulsa; Anderson, 36, of Bixby; Johnson, 25, of Tulsa; Green, 25, of Atoka; and Hamlin, 39 of Tulsa are with is charged with kidnapping and robbery on August 17, 2021. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Elmore is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-318

Jonathan Eliezer Miranda Juarez. Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity; Coercion and Enticement of a Minor. Jonathan Eliezer Miranda Juarez, 29, of Commerce, is charged with knowingly transported a minor with intent to engage in sexual activity on Aug. 18, 2023. He also charge with coercion and enticement of a minor from Aug. of 2020 through Aug. 18, 2023. The Indiana Delphi Police Department, the Commerce Police Department, Oklahoma State Highway Patrol, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Robert and Stephanie Ihler are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-347

Efrain Lira-Anaya. Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Efrain Lira-Anaya, 47, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition on July 27, 2023. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy M. Mackenzie is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-361

Dakota Shane May. Second Degree Burglary in Indian Country. Dakota Shane May, 28, of Tulsa, a Muscogee Creek Nation member, broke into a residence with intent to steal on Aug. 9, 2023. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie N. Ihler is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-360

Shelly Annette McElroy; Gary Don McElroy. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Tampering with a Record, Document, and Other Object. Shelly Annette McElroy, 51, and Gary Don McElroy, 54, of Tulsa, conspired and possessed methamphetamine and fentanyl with intent to distribute on Oct. 8, 2023. Shelley McElroy was also charged with attempting on Oct. 9 and Oct. 12, 2023, to tamper with and erase the contents of a cellular phone seized as evidence on Oct. 8, 2023. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam D. McConney and Niko Boulieris are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-348

Jason Ryan Mitchell. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of an Unregistered Weapon Made from a Shotgun. Jason Ryan Mitchell, 41, of Owasso, knowingly he had previously been convicted of felonies, possessed a short-barreled shotgun not registered to him on Sep. 5, 2023. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Dowdell is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-349

Charles William Pebeahsy, III. Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to Do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Charles William Pebeahsy, 51, of Quapaw, assaulted his victims with intent to commit murder on May 31, 2023. Pebeahasy is a tribal member of the Quapaw Nation. the Quapaw Nation Marshal Service is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Harris is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-357

Luis Angel Perez-Serrano. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Luis Angel Perez-Serrano, 25, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Dec. 19, 2019, at or near San Ysidro, California. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-355

Luis Miguel Rodriguez Perez. Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute. Luis Miguel Rodriguez Perez, 30, a Mexican national and United States lawful permanent resident, is charged with knowingly possessing cocaine with intent to distribute on Oct. 18, 2023. The Drug Enforcement Administration is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam D. McConney and Niko Boulieris are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-358

Ronald Dale Sanders. Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct; Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country; Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country; Tampering with Evidence by Corrupt Persuasion. Ronald Dale Sanders, 55, of Belton, Missouri, from Aug. 2023 to Oct. 15, 2023, traveled to engage in a sexual act with an Indian child under the age of 16. Sanders is additionally charged for attempting to destroy or conceal evidence from Oct. 15, 2023, to Oct. 18, 2023. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Hockenbury is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-354

Juan Villalobos-Jimenez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Juan Villalobos-Jimenez, 29, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on Jul. 10, 2015, at or near Del Rio, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney David D. Whipple is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-353

Brandon David McCarthy; Rachel Christine McCarthy. Drug Conspiracy; Distribution of Morphine, Codeine, and Thebaine; Distribution of Morphine, Codeine, and Thebaine Resulting in Death; Possession of Morphine, Codeine, and Thebaine with Intent to Distribute; Distribution of Material; Possession of Materials with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug Involved Premises; Money Laundering Conspiracy; Engaging in Monetary Transactions of Proceeds Derived from a Specified Unlawful Activity. Brandon David McCarthy, 37 and Rachel Christine McCarthy, 34, of Tulsa are charged with several counts related to a drug conspiracy involving poppy seeds coated in opium latex and resulted in the death of a Utah woman. The Drug Enforcement Administration is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Reagan V. Reininger is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-359

A Sapulpa man was sentenced today. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced David Bert Paycer, 52, to life in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release.

In May of 2023, a federal jury found Paycer guilty of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor under 12 years of age in Indian Country. According to court documents, Paycer gained access to his 8-year-old victim by taking over primary care, shortly after meeting and marrying the victim’s mother. Paycer’s grooming began immediately, which lead to sexually abusing the victim. He warned the minor victim not to tell anyone. At trial, the jury heard from four total victims, who testified against Paycer in court. Those victims all testified that Paycer had sexually abused them when they were between the ages of 6 and 8 years old.

“David Paycer preyed on, manipulated and sexually abused an 8-year-old victim left in his care,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This week, the Court made it clear that Paycer’s predatory actions and blame shifting warranted a lifetime in federal prison.”

Previously released on bond prior to trial, Paycer self-surrender after trial and was taken into custody where he will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.

The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Valeria Luster and Chantelle Dial 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 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.

Yesterday, U.S. District Judge John F. Heil sentenced Adam Douglas Sherwood, 43, to 100 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.

In November of 2021, a federal jury found Sherwood guilty for drug conspiracy, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and three counts of unlawful use of a communication facility.

“Distributors like Sherwood have little regard for the lives lost to addiction and violence resulting from their criminal operations,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work with our federal partners to investigate, disrupt, and prosecute criminal networks who pose a threat to communities in the Northern District of Oklahoma.”

Sherwood’s coconspirator, Kenneth Rosenberg, was sentenced on Oct. 25, 2021, to 60 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. 

The Tulsa Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Miami Police Department, and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin G. Bish and Thomas E. Duncombe are prosecuting the case.

TULSA, Okla. – A Sand Springs man who assaulted and strangled his victim, pleaded guilty today in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Phillip Gene Laird, 42, pleaded guilty to assault of an intimate/dating partner by strangling, suffocating, and attempting to strangle and suffocate in Indian Country.  Laird is a tribal member of the Choctaw Nation.

According to the plea agreement, Laird admitted while he was intoxicated and arguing with the victim, that he pinned her to the ground. Larid further admitted that he strangled his victim.

Laird will remain in custody pending sentencing that will be scheduled at a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence and restation after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI and Sand Springs Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chantelle Dial, Michael Harder and Melissa Weems are prosecuting the case.

The Justice Department announced today several new commitments as part of its Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime. Instituted by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in May 2021, the strategy focuses on harnessing federal resources, intelligence, and expertise as a force-multiplier with state, local, and Tribal law enforcement.   

Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco and Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta highlighted the more than $334 million in critical grant funding to law enforcement agencies and stakeholders awarded today by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office).The COPS grants announced today include funding to help law enforcement agencies hire over 1,730 new law enforcement officers across the country while also providing critical funding to support school safety and continue to advance community policing nationwide  

“I am pleased to announce that the Department’s Office of Justice Programs has awarded more than $5 million to combat violent crime and maintain public safety in our district,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “These grants will help fund and enhance public safety and deepen law enforcement’s connections to the communities we serve.”

• 2023 COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) awarded Quapaw Nation $238,037.00. The SVPP provides funding directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies to improve security at schools and on school grounds in the jurisdiction of the grantee through evidence-based school safety programs.
   
• 2023 COPS Hiring Program (CHP) awarded City of Bixby $125,000.00; City of Sand Springs $119,329.00; Muscogee Creek Nation $2,000,000.00 and City of Pryor Creek $125,000.00. The CHP awards provide funding directly to law enforcement agencies to hire or rehire career law enforcement officers for the advancement of public safety through an increase in their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts.
   
• 2023 COPS Office Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS) awarded Muscogee Creek Nation $899,537.00; Quapaw Nation $738,793.00; and Wyandotte Nation $665,551.00. The TRGP award provides funding directly to federally recognized tribes and tribal consortia consisting of two or more federally recognized Indian tribes. TRGP was designed to expand the implementation of community policing and meet the most serious needs of law enforcement in tribal communities through a broadened comprehensive program.
   
• 2023 Community Policing Development (CPD) Program awarded Tulsa Community College $160,000.00. This program is used to develop the capacity of law enforcement to implement community policing strategies by providing guidance on promising practices through the development and testing of innovative strategies; building knowledge about effective practices and outcomes; and supporting new, creative approaches to preventing crime and promoting safe communities.

“Law enforcement officers across the country are showing up every day to protect their communities in the face of unprecedented challenges,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These grants, which support the hiring of more than 1700 new officers and make critical investments in school safety and crisis intervention efforts, will help provide local law enforcement agencies with the resources they need to keep their communities safe, support officers, and build public trust.” 

Lastly, the Deputy Attorney General and Associate Attorney General announced that this December 11-13, in Indianapolis, the Justice Department’s will bring together 1,500 local and federal partners from across the country, including representatives from the more than 50 PSP jurisdictions and from Project Safe Neighborhoods for a Violent Crime Reduction Summit, to be hosted by OJP BJA. 

Complete lists of all program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here.

TULSA, Okla. – A Nigerian national pleaded guilty Tuesday to wire fraud and transportation of stolen property in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.  

Sunday Daniel Ganyo, 37, pleaded guilty to four separate counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy, and transportation of stolen property.

In July, Ganyo was extradited from South Africa pursuant to a 2020 federal criminal complaint alleging his involvement in a cyber fraud scheme targeting a Tulsa company that almost succeeded in stealing nearly half a million dollars’ worth of computers and shipping them to South Africa. Investigators were able to intercept the shipment in route and track it to a warehouse in South Africa controlled by Ganyo, leading to his arrest by the South African Police Service. It was later determined that Ganyo had engaged in a wide range of similar schemes targeting at least four companies in California, Illinois, and New York with a total loss amount of nearly 3 million dollars.

According to Ganyo’s plea agreement, from January of 2017 through January of 2021, he conspired to commit wire fraud in the Northern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere. He specifically created email addresses that appeared to be employees of well-known businesses. He would use those false email address to impersonate employees and place large orders of computer equipment.  Ganyo would then use the fictious email accounts to redirect the orders and send other conspirators to pick up the various equipment and ship the stolen goods to South Africa.

Sunday Ganyo will remain in custody pending a later sentencing date that is yet to be scheduled. He faces a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence and restitution after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners of the South African Police Service to secure the arrest and extradition of Ganyo. The FBI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Nassar and Thomas Buscemi are prosecuting the case.

If you would like to report fraud, please contact the appropriate investigative agency as follows: https://www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-fraud/report-fraud

Two Tulsa men were sentenced to federal prison last week for tampering with witnesses who were slated to testify in federal court proceedings, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

On October 25, 2023, U.S. District Judge Raul M. Arias-Marxuach sentenced Derius Donovan Ledet, 33, to 84 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release. Judge Arias-Marxuach also sentenced Ledet’s co-defendant, Ulysses Semion Washington, 35, to 108 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release on October 26, 2023.

“The integrity of our justice system is of the utmost importance. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will not tolerate any act that seeks to obstruct the federal court process,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

According to court documents, on March 23, 2022, Ledet, who was being held on federal charges, called Washington several times. Ledet instructed Washington to, “put in some footwork” to prevent two witnesses from communicating with law enforcement about the case and to prevent their testimony in court proceedings. Ledet further told Washington to pay off the witnesses with money obtained from selling one of Ledet’s cars.

Washington offered the witnesses money to write affidavits that they would not cooperate in Ledet’s pending case. Both witnesses were subpoenaed to make appearances in federal proceedings, but neither showed.

Ledet pled guilty for his role in the witness tampering in July of 2022 and Washington elected to proceed to trial. Prior to trial, Washington continued his attempts to contact one of the witnesses involved in attempt to persuade them to not show. Washington entered a plea to witness tampering on the first day of trial.

Ledet and Washington will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin G. Bish prosecuted the case.

TULSA, Okla. – A Chelsea woman was sentenced today to 6 months in prison for one count of conversion of benefits by representative payee and one count of making a false statement, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Judge John F. Heil, III, sentenced Arvella Evyon Downing, 55, to 6 months followed by 3 years of supervised release. Judge Heil further ordered Downing to pay $28,368 in restitution.

“Downing not only abused her position as a guardian, but she also stole thousands of dollars in social security benefits from children,” said U.S. Attorney Clint J. Johnson.

According to court documents, Downing pled guilty on Mar. 3, 2023. She admitted from on or about Oct. 1, 2019, through on or about Sept. 30, 2020, that she made application to receive social security benefits on behalf of 3 minor children. She received approximately $28,368 and claimed that she spent it on housing, clothing, education, medical and dental expenses, recreation, or personal items.

In a related indictment, Downing’s boyfriend, Keith Alan Schulze pled guilty on Mar. 3, 2023, to child neglect in Indian Country and will be sentenced at a later date.

Arvella Evyon Downing was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The FBI and the Social Security Administration-Office of the Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron M. Jolly and Steven Briden prosecuted the case.

Three Tulsa-area residents who fraudulently applied for Paycheck Protection Program loans were sentenced last week in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.      

First, on Oct. 23, 2023, U.S. District Judge Paul M. Arias-Marxuach sentenced William Mark Sullivan, 50, to 36 months in prison. Sullivan’s wife, Michelle Cadman-Sullivan, 43, was sentenced on Oct. 25, 2023, to 24 months in prison. The Sullivans pleaded guilty in June of 2022 to conspiracy to commit bank fraud. As a part of this case, the Sullivans fraudulently applied for approximately $2.7 million in Paycheck Protection Program loans from area banks. Judge Arias-Marxuach also ordered William Mark Sullivan and Michelle Cadman-Sullivan to serve 5 years of supervised release following their terms of imprisonment and to pay $743,776.98 in restitution to the Small Business Administration, the federal agency that guaranteed the loans.  

In their plea agreements, the Sullivans stated that between April 8, 2020, and May 11, 2020, they conspired together to submit false statements and reports to Arvest Bank and Exchange Bank when they applied for numerous Paycheck Protection Program loans, totaling approximately $2.7 million. The Sullivans submitted false information, false W2s, false Form 941s and false 2019 IRS Schedule Cs (Form 1040) in six Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications. They further stated that they had knowingly certified all the information in the applications and supporting documents were true and correct when they knew the information to be incorrect. The couple admitted to transferring the $742,926.50 in funds they received through various bank accounts and using the funds for personal expenses.

Mr. Sullivan also stated in his plea agreement that he had represented on applications that “Oklahoma Paving” had an average monthly payroll of $50,546.41 on April 8, 2020, and “USA-1 Construction” had an average monthly payroll of $143,483.00 on April 30, 2020.

Similarly, Mrs. Sullivan stated that in their PPP loan applications, she falsely represented that “U.S. Central Construction” had an average monthly payroll of $26,053.00 on April 28, 2020; “Oklahoma Energy” had an average monthly payroll of $279,101.66 on May 4, 2020; “Oklahoma Paving” had an average monthly payroll of $279,101.66 on May 4, 2020; and “Oklahoma Energy” had an average monthly payroll of $251,458.00 on May 11, 2020.

The indictment further alleges that the Sullivans misrepresented the number of businesses they owned and operated, the duration of operation for each business, the number and names of employees, the monthly payroll for each business, and the way in which the loan proceeds would be used.

Second, on Oct. 24, 2023, U.S. District Judge Paul M. Arias-Marxuach sentenced Ladawn Shazzelle Pinkney to 6 months in federal prison followed by 6 months of home confinement and 2 years of supervised release for her participation in a Paycheck Protect Program loan fraud scheme. Judge Arias-Marxuach further ordered Pinkney to repay the U.S. Small Business Administration $41,828.46 in restitution.  

As a part of her plea agreement entered in July of 2022, Pinkney plead guilty to wire fraud. She admitted that between March 20, 2021, and April 21, 2021, she made two fraudulent loan applications on behalf of a business that did not exist before the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the indictment in the case, Pinkney also received forgiveness for 100 percent of the PPP loans. In her applications for loan forgiveness, Pinkney falsely stated that she used the loan proceeds for payroll and other eligible uses of PPP loan proceeds.  

“All three of these individuals repeatedly lied to banks to obtain government funds intended to retain employees at legitimate businesses during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “My office will continue to hold fraudsters accountable for misusing federal emergency assistance.”  

“These sentencings send a clear warning that you will be brought to justice if you defraud the federal government of pandemic relief funds,” said Jon Ellwanger, Special Agent in Charge, Western Region, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. “We are proud to have worked with our federal law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in this endeavor to hold fraudsters accountable for their crimes.”

“Conspiring to fraudulently obtain federal funds that are meant to provide assistance to nation’s small businesses is unacceptable,” said SBA OIG’s Central Region Special Agent-in-Charge Brady Ipock. “These sentences demonstrate that those responsible will be held accountable. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s office and our law enforcement partners for their support and dedication to pursuing justice in this case.”

The Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration; and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cymetra M. Williams and Matthew Feeley prosecuted these cases.

To learn more about the Justice Department’s COVID response, visit: https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. For further information on the Criminal Division’s enforcement efforts on PPP fraud, including court documents from significant cases, visit the following website: https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/ppp-fraud. To report a COVID-19-related fraud scheme or suspicious activity, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) by calling the NCDF Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form

TULSA, Okla. – A Carthage, Missouri man pleaded guilty today to assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

According to the plea agreement, Koby Caiden Stark, 22, admitted to discharging a firearm at vehicle that contained 3 other people. Stark admits that he was not acting in self-defense. The incident occurred within the boundaries of the Ottawa reservation. All 3 victims are tribal members. One victim is a member of the Cherokee Nation, the second is a member of the Choctaw Nation, and the third is a member of the Chickasaw Nation.

Stark has been in custody and will remain until he is sentenced at a later date. He faces a penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence or fine after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs and Miami Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie N. Ihler is prosecuting the case.

A former Chief Learning and Talent Officer for Tulsa Public Schools (TPS) pleaded guilty today, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. Devin Darel Fletcher, 39, formerly of Tulsa, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

According to court documents, Fletcher was hired in August of 2016 to be the District’s Chief Academic Officer. He was further promoted to be the District’s Chief Learning and Talent Officer prior to his resignation in June 2022. Fletcher was responsible for human resources and educational performance issues throughout TPS. Among other things, Fletcher was entrusted with limited hiring and firing authority for certain personnel, including consultants where he had limited expenditure approval authority.

While working for TPS, Fletcher, admitted to working with another person to create, alter, and fabricate fraudulent invoices, purchase orders and supporting documents to defraud TPS and the Foundation for Tulsa Schools (Foundation). The Foundation is a public charity recognized as a 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to build a better community through the support of TPS by providing education resources via donated funds. In total, Fletcher’s fraudulent actions caused a loss of at least $603,992.32 to TPS and the Foundation.

Devin Darel Fletcher was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing and will be sentenced at a later date. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David D. Whipple is prosecuting the case.

Four men were sentenced this week in federal court for committing sex crimes against children, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Richard Alan Sisney, 70, of Tulsa, plead guilty on Aug. 8, 2022, to one count of receipt of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and one count of possession of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. On Oct. 24, 2023, U.S. District Judge Raul M. Arias-Marxuach sentenced Sisney to prison. The Government and Sisney jointly appealed to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, requesting that Sisney be resentenced due to a procedural error.

On Oct. 24, 2024, Judge Arias-Marxuach resentenced Sisney to 121 months, followed by 10 years of supervised release. Following his release from prison, Sisney is required to register as a sex offender. The judge further ordered Sisney to pay $12,000 in restitution. In court documents, Sisney admitted to downloading images and videos of young children being sexually abused by adults. The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Nassar and Ashley Robert prosecuted the case. 

Kenneth James Loftin, 26, of Sapulpa, plead guilty on July 13, 2022, to one count of receipt of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography in Indian Country, and one count of abusive sexual contact of minor children in Indian Country. On Oct. 24, 2023, U.S. District Judge Raul M. Arias-Marxuach sentenced Loftin to three 120 month sentences to run concurrent followed by lifetime supervision. Following his release from prison, Loftin is required to register as a sex offender. Judge Arias-Marxuach further ordered Loftin to pay $3,000 in restitution. In his plea agreement, Loftin admitted to downloading and viewing numerous images and videos of child pornography from the internet. He also admitted to sexually abusing a child who was under the age of 12. Loftin is a member of the Cherokee Nation. Homeland Security Investigations and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Jiang and Valeria Luster prosecuted the case.

Jeffery James Bucchino, 44, of Buford, Georgia, plead guilty on Aug. 10, 2022, to one count of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of coercion and enticement of a minor after previously being convicted for solicitation of a minor in Texas. On Oct. 27, 2023, U.S. District Judge Raul M. Arias-Marxuach sentenced Bucchino to 300 months followed by lifetime supervision. Following his release from prison, Bucchino is required to register as a sex offender. In his plea agreement, Bucchino admitted that he knowingly persuaded a minor living in Tulsa to send him live or recorded videos of herself masturbating over the internet from November 2016 to March 2018. Homeland Security Investigations and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Jiang and Deputy Criminal Chief Christopher Nassar prosecuted the case.

Matthew Rame Griner Ramsey, 27, of Vinita, plead guilty on May 30, 2023, to abusive sexual contact with a minor under 12 years of age in Indian Country. On Oct. 24, 2023, U.S. District Judge Raul M. Arias-Marxuach sentenced Ramsey to 120 months followed by lifetime supervision. Following his release from prison, Ramsey is required to register as a sex offender.  In his plea agreement, Ramsey stated that he knowingly engaged in sexual activity with a four-year-old. He further admitted that the abuse was intended to “arouse and gratify” his sexual desires. Ramsey is a member of the Cherokee Nation. The FBI and Vinita Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chantelle Dial prosecuted the case.

“The sentences handed down this week demonstrate that our justice system will not tolerate those who victimize children,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “These terrible crimes cause tremendous physical and psychological trauma on children, our most vulnerable victims. Federal prosecutors and our law enforcement partners will do everything in their power to protect child victims and bring to justice those who exploit children in anyway.”

These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood is a unified and comprehensive strategy to combat child exploitation. Initiated in May of 2006, Project Safe Childhood combines law enforcement efforts, community action, and public awareness. The goal of Project Safe Childhood is to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. There are five essential components to Project Safe Childhood: (1) building partnerships; (2) coordinating law enforcement; (3) training PSC partners; (4) public awareness; and (5) accountability. The Department of Justice is committed to the safety and well-being of our children and has placed a high priority on protecting and combating sexual exploitation of minors.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

October marks the observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson announced that five individuals were sentenced this week in federal court to domestic violence charges.

Justin Samuel Barzellone, 43, of Tulsa, plead guilty on June 3, 2022, to assault of an intimate/dating partner by strangling and suffocating in Indian Country. U.S. District Judge Raul M. Arias-Marxuach sentenced Barzellone to 37 months followed by 3 years of supervised release. In his plea agreement, Barzellone stated that he was arguing with his fiancé and placed his arm around her neck and squeezed to prevent her from breathing. He further stated that he hit her several times and slammed her head against a sliding glass door. Barzellone is a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Buscemi prosecuted the case.

Patrick Ethan Brashers, 42, of Chelsea, plead guilty on June 9, 2022, to one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country, and one count of assault by striking, beating, and wounding.  U.S. District Judge Raul M. Arias-Marxuach sentenced Brashers to 20 months followed by 3 years of supervised release. In his plea agreement Brashers, admitted to stomping and breaking the kneecap of his victim in front of their child. In a separate incident, Brashers admittingly pushed down his victim in front of their children and put his foot on her back, pushing her down again. Brashers is a member of the Cherokee Nation. The FBI, Rogers County Sheriff’s Office, and Chelsea Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Buscemi and Julie Childress prosecuted the case.

Bryant Sosa Chavez-Danillo, 24, of Tulsa, plead guilty on July 15, 2022, to assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country. U.S. District Judge Raul M. Arias-Marxuach sentenced Chavez-Danillo to 36 months followed by 3 years of supervised release. In his plea agreement, Chavez-Danillo stated that he was arguing with the victim in a vehicle. The victim attempted to leave the vehicle and he wrapped his arm around her neck and pulled her back into the vehicle. He further stated that he stabbed the victim in the abdomen. The victim is a member of Muscogee (Creek) Nation. The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shakema Onias, Michael Harder, and Julie Childress prosecuted the case.

Jared Wayne Williams, 34, of Sand Springs, plead guilty on September 14, 2022, to two counts of aggravated sexual abuse by force and threat in Indian County and two counts of child neglect in Indian Country. U.S. District Judge John F. Heil sentenced Williams to 180 months.  Following his release from prison, Williams is required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to lifetime supervision. Judge Heil further ordered Williams to pay $1,863.44 in restitution. In his plea agreement, Williams admitted that on 2 separate occasions he sexually assaulted the mother of his children. He further stated that other physical and sexual assaults took place in front of minor children. Williams is a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. The FBI, Bixby Police Department, and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Jiang and Stacey Todd prosecuted the case.

Samuel Aaronson Ragster, 31, of Tulsa, plead guilty on July 15, 2022, to one count of assault of an intimate/dating partner by strangling and suffocating in Indian Country, and one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country. U.S. District Judge Raul M. Arias-Marxuach sentenced Ragster to 78 months followed by 3 years of supervised release. In court documents, Ragster admitted that he grabbed his victim by her throat and slammed her into a bookcase. She suffered significant puncture wounds in her back which required surgical staples to close. He then threw her on the bed and strangled her. The victim is a member of the Cherokee Nation. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Briden prosecuted the case.

Every October, Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) renews our commitment to addressing and preventing domestic violence. Domestic violence, dating violence, and intimate partner violence can have long-lasting impacts and consequences. Approximately one in four women and one in seven men will experience severe domestic violence in their lifetimes; however, rates are disproportionately higher for American Indian and Alaska Native populations, women of Color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and two-spirit people, and people with disabilities. DVAM provides an opportunity to spread awareness about domestic violence and encourage everyone to play a role in ending gender-based violence.

“Domestic violence affects us all personally in some way,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “And we who serve as federal prosecutors for the Northern District of Oklahoma have a duty to use all the tools at our disposal—and leverage our partnerships with local law enforcement and prosecutors—to ensure victims have a viable path to safety and justice.”

As part of its monthlong observance of DVAM, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Northern District of Oklahoma is proud to announce that the Department’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) awarded $1,125,000 to the Northern District to bolster coordinated community responses aimed at bringing an end to domestic violence, as well as sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.

• OVW awarded $575,000 to the City of Tulsa under the Rural Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking Assistance Program (Rural Program) to support programs by local government, community-based organizations, and medical providers in rural areas to improve the safety of survivors.
   
• OVW awarded $550,000 to Domestic Violence Intervention Services, Inc. (DVIS) under the Transitional Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking Program (Transitional Housing Program) to support programs that provide 6 to 24 months of transitional housing or housing assistance to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.

U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson joins the U.S. Department of Justice in commemorating DVAM, paying tribute to victims and survivors, and saluting the dedication of advocates, service providers, justice professionals, law enforcement officers, and first responders who tirelessly work in support of survivors.

Facing domestic violence? Find support in your state through @OVWJustice's Local Resources: https://www.justice.gov/ovw/local-resources.

A former Ottawa County Assistant District Attorney pleaded guilty on July 13, 2022, in federal court after he provided drugs and performed favorable legal actions that benefitted defendants in exchange for sex, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Today, U.S. District Judge Raul Arias-Marxuach, sentenced Daniel Thomas Giraldi, 44, of Joplin, to 30 months in prison followed by 3 year term of supervision upon release. In July of 2022, Giraldi plead guilty to one count of possession of Oxycodone with intent to distribute and four counts of honest services fraud.

Per the stipulations in the plea agreement, Giraldi will relinquish and forfeit his Oklahoma Bar License and never apply for reinstatement to the Oklahoma Bar. He will also never hold any public office nor any position of public trust within the state of Oklahoma.

“As a public servant to the people of Ottawa County, Daniel Giraldi disgraced the office of Assistant District Attorney,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “He had a duty to act with integrity and competence. Instead, he violated the law and the trust placed in him by the District Attorney. Investigators were unyielding in their pursuit of justice in this case, thus ensuring Giraldi’s conviction.”

In the plea agreement, Giraldi admitted that he carried and possessed Oxycodone with intent to distribute. That he texted a defendant approximately a week earlier and agreed to bring the drug when the two rendezvoused for sex. He further admitted to defrauding the citizens of Oklahoma and the Ottawa County District Attorney’s Office of their right to honest and faithful services that he owed to them as an Assistant District Attorney, stating that he took bribes in exchange for corrupt official acts that benefitted defendants. Giraldi specifically stated that he would receive something of value, including sexual acts with multiple women, in exchange for favorable treatment that included reduction of bond amounts on criminal defendants, the dismissal of traffic violations, and other corrupt actions. The crimes occurred from approximately February 2019 through April 19, 2022.

Daniel Thomas Giraldi was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The FBI, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Miami Police Department, and District Attorney’s Office-District 13 investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle McWaters and Shannon Cozzoni prosecuted the case.

Two Tulsa men were indicted for introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce and were arrested today, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Aaron Michael Thomas, 41, and Darren Doils Means, 68, were both charged in a three-count indictment for introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce, in violation of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act.

“A federal grand jury indicted Aaron Thomas and Darren Means for their alleged criminal actions associated with drugs, like gabapentin, xylazine, and pregabalin,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This United States Attorney’s Office will continue to pursue cases against healthcare providers who skirt FDA regulations developed to ensure the safety of individuals receiving prescription drug treatments.”

“The distribution of misbranded drugs in the U.S. marketplace puts all consumers’ health at risk. FDA will remain vigilant in our efforts to protect the U.S. public health from potentially dangerous products,” said Special Agent in Charge Ronne G. Malham, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Chicago Field Office.

According to court documents, Thomas and Means are alleged to have introduced misbranded gabapentin, xylazine, and pregabalin into interstate commerce. Thomas and Means are alleged to have been running a business on the dark web where they were selling prescription drugs without prescriptions, or appropriate branding or labelling.

If convicted, Thomas and Means each face up to 3 years in prison, per count.

The Food & Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan E. Michel and Aaron M. Jolly are prosecuting the case.

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

A man from Rose was sentenced Friday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour sentenced Billy Scott McDonald, 48, to 30 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervision upon release. On November 30th, 2022, McDonald plead guilty to Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country, Production of Child Pornography, and Possession of or Access with Intent to View Child Pornography.

"Billy Scott McDonald not only engaged in sexual acts with a toddler. He also photographed the sexual acts resulting in the producing and possessing child pornography charges,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Federal prosecutors and our law enforcement partners will do everything in our power to protect minors from sexual exploitation and bring to justice those who have harmed them.”

“This individual preyed on the innocence and vulnerability of a child to fulfill his demented desires,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Dallas Special Agent in Charge Lester R. Hayes Jr. “Thanks to the outstanding teamwork of HSI Tulsa, the Mayes County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma, he will spend the next 50 years behind bars where he will no longer be able to take advantage of our children.”

According to court documents, Billy Scott McDonald engaged in oral sex with a 2-year-old toddler in 2022. The disturbing images and video of McDonald sexually abusing the toddler were discovered by a family member on McDonald’s phone. The family member reported the images and video to Mayes County Sheriff’s Office. The toddler is a member of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma and the crimes occurred in the Cherokee Nation.

During a post-Miranda interview with Homeland Security Investigation Agents, McDonald admitted that he had “sexual thoughts about children for a very long time” and often tried to “keep himself away from children to avoid getting in trouble.” That while he watched the toddler for a neighbor, he photographed and videoed himself engaging in sexual abuse with the toddler.

McDonald will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Mayes County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Valeria Luster 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 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.

TULSA, Okla. - The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma has issued a preliminary injunction enjoining three individuals and two companies from continuing their fraudulent debt collection scheme. The order was issued after the department filed a civil complaint against Assured Collections LLC, Assured Financial LLC, Christopher Parks, Christopher Noah Parks and Stephen Miller.

According to the complaint, Christopher Parks, 62, who is currently incarcerated in Cushing, Oklahoma, his son, Christopher Noah Parks, 29, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and Stephen Miller, 39, also of Broken Arrow, operate Assured Collections LLC and Assured Financial LLC. The defendants, according to the complaint, used those companies to distribute thousands of fraudulent debt collection notices to consumers across the country. These notices falsely stated that consumers owed money, often thousands of dollars, for durable medical equipment. In fact, defendants had no authority to contact consumers to attempt to collect any debt. Many of the notices were sent to older adults and veterans.

“No consumer should have to panic at the thought of needing to pay thousands of dollars they do not in fact need to pay,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department and its partners remain steadfast in our resolve to protect consumers from companies and individuals responsible for sending fraudulent debt collection notices.”

“The defendants in this case victimized individuals who were already traumatized by illness and were struggling emotionally, physically and financially,” said U.S. Attorney Clinton Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma. “This fraudulent billing scheme caused additional harm and eroded the public’s trust in the medical industry. I’m thankful for the collaborative effort of all the investigative agencies that worked together in pursuit of justice for the victims.”

“The Department of Defense (DoD) Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) is committed to protecting the integrity of TRICARE, the healthcare system for our military members,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Michael C. Mentavlos of DCIS’s Southwest Field Office. “This action is the result of strong partnerships across the law enforcement community, and demonstrates the DCIS’s ongoing commitment to investigating and prosecuting companies and individuals that seek to enrich themselves at the expense of our military members, their families and the American taxpayer.” 

“This action sends a clear message that the VA Office of Inspector General makes it a priority to investigate those who would seek to exploit our nation’s most vulnerable veterans,” said Special Agent in Charge Kris Raper of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s (VA-OIG) South Central Field Office. “The VA-OIG is grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and our law enforcement partners for their efforts to achieve justice in this case.”

According to the complaint, Christopher Parks (who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and was recently sentenced to 18 months in prison), Christopher Noah Parks and Stephen Miller knew that debt notices were fraudulent. Despite that knowledge, defendants continued to contact consumers attempting to collect.

Anyone who believes that they are a victim of the unlawful debt collection activity is encouraged to report to the Federal Trade Commission at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/.

The VA-OIG, DCIS, Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and FBI investigated the case.

Senior Litigation Counsel Patrick Runkle of the Civil Division's Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Marianne Hardcastle for the Northern District of Oklahoma filed the case.

Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.

Additional information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma can be found at www.justice.gov/usao-ndok.

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma has issued a preliminary injunction enjoining three individuals and two companies from continuing their fraudulent debt collection scheme. The order was issued after the department filed a civil complaint against Assured Collections LLC, Assured Financial LLC, Christopher Parks, Christopher Noah Parks and Stephen Miller.

According to the complaint, Christopher Parks, 62, who is currently incarcerated in Cushing, Oklahoma, his son, Christopher Noah Parks, 29, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and Stephen Miller, 39, also of Broken Arrow, operate Assured Collections LLC and Assured Financial LLC. The defendants, according to the complaint, used those companies to distribute thousands of fraudulent debt collection notices to consumers across the country. These notices falsely stated that consumers owed money, often thousands of dollars, for durable medical equipment. In fact, defendants had no authority to contact consumers to attempt to collect any debt. Many of the notices were sent to older adults and veterans.

“No consumer should have to panic at the thought of needing to pay thousands of dollars they do not in fact need to pay,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department and its partners remain steadfast in our resolve to protect consumers from companies and individuals responsible for sending fraudulent debt collection notices.”

“The defendants in this case victimized individuals who were already traumatized by illness and were struggling emotionally, physically and financially,” said U.S. Attorney Clinton Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma. “This fraudulent billing scheme caused additional harm and eroded the public’s trust in the medical industry. I’m thankful for the collaborative effort of all the investigative agencies that worked together in pursuit of justice for the victims.”

“The Department of Defense (DoD) Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) is committed to protecting the integrity of TRICARE, the healthcare system for our military members,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Michael C. Mentavlos of DCIS’s Southwest Field Office. “This action is the result of strong partnerships across the law enforcement community, and demonstrates the DCIS’s ongoing commitment to investigating and prosecuting companies and individuals that seek to enrich themselves at the expense of our military members, their families and the American taxpayer.” 

“This action sends a clear message that the VA Office of Inspector General makes it a priority to investigate those who would seek to exploit our nation’s most vulnerable veterans,” said Special Agent in Charge Kris Raper of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s (VA-OIG) South Central Field Office. “The VA-OIG is grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and our law enforcement partners for their efforts to achieve justice in this case.”

According to the complaint, Christopher Parks (who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and was recently sentenced to 18 months in prison), Christopher Noah Parks and Stephen Miller knew that debt notices were fraudulent. Despite that knowledge, defendants continued to contact consumers attempting to collect.

Anyone who believes that they are a victim of the unlawful debt collection activity is encouraged to report to the Federal Trade Commission at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/.

The VA-OIG, DCIS, Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and FBI investigated the case.

Senior Litigation Counsel Patrick Runkle of the Civil Division's Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Marianne Hardcastle for the Northern District of Oklahoma filed the case.

Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.

Additional information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma can be found at www.justice.gov/usao-ndok.

TULSA, Okla. - A California drug kingpin gets life for directing a continuing criminal enterprise by organizing and directing at least three separate meth conspiracies in Oklahoma and Missouri, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour sentenced Luis Alfredo Jacobo, 32, of Bakersfield, California, to four life sentences in federal prison, one each for a count of continuing criminal enterprise and three counts of drug conspiracy. Judge Coughenour further sentenced Jacobo to four years each on 21 counts of unlawful use of a communication facility. All sentences are to run concurrently.

“Luis Alfredo Jacobo led a drug enterprise responsible for bringing countless amounts of meth into the state of Oklahoma from California,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The life sentences handed down today should put those who pedal poison in our communities on notice. The U.S. Department of Justice together with our law enforcement partners are organized and will prosecute to the full extent of the law.”

“Drug trafficking affects countless lives, whether it’s in our Oklahoma neighborhoods or 1,500 miles away in California. It impacts the safety and security of all our lives,” said Eduardo A. Chavez, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Dallas Field Division, that covers DEA operations in Oklahoma. “This sentence reflects our continued resolve to partner with all our law-enforcement counterparts to fight greed, violence, and drug addiction.”

“The weight of this successful investigation and prosecution cannot be overestimated. Luis Alfredo Jacobo is responsible for putting hundreds of pounds of meth onto the streets of Oklahoma. For nearly three decades, meth has remained one of the biggest drug threats impacting Oklahoma, including links to violent crime, theft, addiction and more than 700 overdose deaths in 2022, alone. My agency is committed to continue working with our federal partners to target and dismantle these criminal trafficking organizations who put the health and safety of our citizens at risk.” ----Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics Director, Donnie Anderson

Using his Mexican sources of supply and Bakersfield, California, as a base of operations, Jacobo managed, supervised, and organized more than a dozen individuals in California, Northeast Oklahoma, and Southwest Missouri in an enterprise that spanned over five years and involved at least three drug conspiracies operating in and around the Northern District of Oklahoma.

Through countless communications between the conspirators, Jacobo set prices, determined methods of delivery and payment, and approved any suggestions made about the groups’ operations.

From May 2016 to Sept. 2021, Jacobo received bulk shipments of meth to his home base in Bakersfield, California. From there, Jacobo directed that the meth be sent via U.S. mail or driven in vehicles to the groups in Oklahoma and Missouri, sometimes in quantities of up to 200 pounds at a time. Coconspirators would drive large amounts of cash back to California, send money through money remitters, or mail cash payments back to Jacobo and to others at Jacobo’s direction. The coconspirators sometimes mailed as much as $100,000 cash at a time from Oklahoma to California.

The three conspiracies were run by Jacobo’s regional managers in northeastern Oklahoma. The managers employed, with Jacobo’s knowledge, distributors and sub distributors to help sell Jacobo’s drugs. Jacobo even met and gave direction to many of the distributors and sub distributors.

From May 2016 to Dec. 2018, one drug conspiracy operated in Bakersfield and later in and around Grove, Oklahoma. A second drug conspiracy also worked out of Grove from Sept. 2018 to Aug. 2019. Finally, a third drug conspiracy operated from Sept. 2018 to March 2021 in and around Grove and southwestern Missouri.

During trial, federal prosecutors presented evidence that included numerous communications and countless money exchanges related to the conspiracies as well as evidence collected when law enforcement executed search warrants.

For example, on Oct. 12, 2020, agents and officers with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs and Grove Police Department opened a storage unit in Grove and discovered 231 pounds of methamphetamine and more than $465,000 in U.S. currency. The storage unit was rented for defendant Johnson to store meth for redistribution. That same weekend in 2020, law enforcement also executed search warrants on houses in Grove where codefendants stored drugs and drug proceeds.

Three days after the 231 pounds of meth was located, officers arrested codefendant Tony Garcia driving in Oklahoma City with 30 pounds of meth and a loaded 9 mm handgun. Text messages in Garcia’s phone show that he received instructions from Jacobo just prior to the trip about where and when to distribute the meth to Johnson and others in Oklahoma. 

During the trial the government highlighted the sheer number of Jacobo’s coconspirators who testified against Jacobo and repeated many of the same details about how Jacobo’s extensive drug business operated, including that Jacobo directed members of his organization to send cars packed full of meth to Northeast Oklahoma and cars packed full of money back to him in Bakersfield.

Jacobo’s conviction resulted from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Operation “Pullin Chains,” led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage

Jacobo will remain in the custody of the Federal Marshal Service pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, Bureau of Indian Affairs, City of Miami Police Department, Grove Police Department, Quapaw Tribal Marshals Service, Bakersfield Police Department, Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Oklahoma District 13 Drug and Violent Crime Task Force conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas E. Duncombe, Nathan E. Michel, and Melody N. Nelson prosecuted the case.

TULSA, Okla. - A Tulsa man who assaulted and strangled his victim was sentenced yesterday to nine years for assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian country, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Judge George K. Frizzell sentenced Vernon Jenedia Neel, 44, a Muscogee citizen, to nine years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.

“Vernon Neel has a history of domestic abuse by strangulation,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The strength of the victim and dedication of our law enforcement partners resulted in a sentence that confines a clear threat from our community.”

During the early morning hours of July 3, 2021, the defendant assaulted the victim by striking her repeatedly with his fists and strangling her. The victim sustained serious injuries including a broken nose, a severed lip requiring stitches, a concussion and multiple bruises and abrasions. Neel ran off with her phone and car keys.

Neel has multiple felony convictions for domestic violence involving strangulation. According to court documents, at his first trial one of Neel’s previous victims testified that Neel told her that he enjoyed strangling her because “he liked to watch the fear and the fade in my eyes.”  He had also previously violated a protective order.

Neel will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal Service pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The Tulsa Police Department and the FBI conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stacey P. Todd and Vani Singhal prosecuted the case.

TULSA, Okla. - A former Jenks resident has been sentenced to 18 months for conspiracy to offer and pay health care kickbacks, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Judge George K. Frizzell sentenced Christopher Parks, 62, to 18 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release. Judge Frizzell further ordered Parks to pay $6,400,651.57 in restitution.

“Christopher Parks violated the trust of patients and abused Federal Health Care programs and private insurance companies to cheat taxpayers and pad his pockets,” said U.S Attorney Clint Johnson. “This office, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to prosecute insurance and medical fraud.”

“This individual and his numerous co-conspirators used their medical credentials to exploit patient trust for financial gain,” said Jason E. Meadows, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Illegal kickback payments cloud medical judgment and cost taxpayers millions of dollars. HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who blatantly steal taxpayer money for their benefit.”

“The defendant exploited the health care industry by conspiring with others to pay and receive illegal kickbacks in order to enrich himself,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “This is not a victimless crime—health care fraud is a crime against all of us who contribute hard earned income and taxes into the system. The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure those who willingly defraud the American people are held accountable.”

On June 27, 2023, Parks admitted in his plea agreement that he was one of the owners and/or operators of OK Compounding, LLC, and One Stop RX, LLC. Parks stated that between Nov. 2012 and June 2019 he paid physicians remuneration or kickbacks to induce referrals of their patients’ compounding prescriptions to one of the two pharmacies. Parks would pay the physicians through bank accounts he controlled knowing that some of the prescriptions were being paid for by government healthcare programs including Tricare, Medicare, the Federal Employees Compensation Act program, and the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Compounding prescriptions is a practice in which a pharmacist or physician combines, mixes, or alters ingredients of a drug or multiple drugs to create a medication that is tailored to the specific needs of a patient. These medications are prescribed when standard Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs are unsuitable for the patient. Compounded medications are also more expensive and reimbursed at a far higher rate by federal and private insurance companies than other forms of the same medication. Compounded drugs are not to be mixed or marketed in bulk.

The physicians were provided pre-printed prescription pads that listed compounding formula choices. Participating physicians checked a box with their preferred selection and then faxed it directly to the associated pharmacies, rather than writing a prescription tailored to the patient who could then take it to a pharmacy of their choice.

Parks disguised payments to physicians through various sham business arrangements. For example, physicians would enter into agreements with a pharmacy to serve as “medical directors.” However, the physicians provided no actual services as medical directors. Instead, physicians were paid kickbacks for writing prescriptions for medications whether their patients needed them or not and sending the prescriptions to Parks-affiliated pharmacies.

The Health & Human Services-Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service and FBI investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Melody Nelson prosecuted the case.

TULSA Okla. – A Bixby man was sentenced to life in federal prison Thursday for multiple felonies including carjacking, robbery, and multiple murder charges, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Hunter Isaiah Hobbs, 22, to 3 life sentences for felony murder in Indian Country; causing death by carrying, using, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; and obstruction of justice by killing a victim. Frizzell further sentenced Hobbs to 20 years each for two counts of conspiracy to carry, use, and brandish a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, 25 years for attempted carjacking and 15 years for robbery in Indian Country. All sentences are to run concurrently.

"Hunter Hobbs conspired to rob multiple victims in this case.  He and his co-defendant shot one victim, a complete stranger, in an attempted carjacking and then killed two of their own friends during this crime spree,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The relentless efforts of this Office, the FBI, and the Tulsa and Broken Arrow Police Departments resulted in the life sentences handed down today.”

"Today's sentence means Hunter Hobbs will spend the rest of his life behind prison walls for his spree of senseless and violent crimes, which tragically led to the death of two innocent victims," said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. "This case demonstrates the FBI's steadfast commitment to pursuing justice for victims and holding dangerous criminals accountable."

On May 8, 2021, Hobbs and Denim Lee Blount, 21, of Tulsa, lay in wait at the Westminster Apartments, at 7486 E 47th Place, in Tulsa, looking for a victim of opportunity. They approached a 2005 Chevy Tahoe with guns drawn and ordered the driver out of the vehicle. When the victim tried to maneuver his vehicle and leave, Hobbs and Blount opened fire. The attack was captured on security cameras, which show Hobbs firing an entire magazine at the driver from his .45 caliber Colt Model Combat Commander pistol, as Blount fired a 12-gauge shotgun at the car. The victim managed to flee the area but was struck multiple times. He sustained injuries to his hands, knee, arm, nose, cheeks, and frontal scalp. His injuries required surgery and caused permanent damage to his hand. Hobbs and Blount fled the scene. 

On May 13, 2021 Hobbs and Blount again conspired to ambush, rob, and kill. This time the targets were two friends, Caleb Vaughan Collier and Kelly Ray Olen John Landsaw-Davis, both citizens of the Cherokee Nation. Hobbs and Blount planned to lure then men to a secluded area of Haikey Creek Park in Broken Arrow and rob them. When Blount stated that the men would be able to identify them to the police, Hobbs stated: “Then we’ll just off them”.

The victims picked Hobbs and Blount up in the early morning hours of May 13 and the four men drove to a parking lot in Haikey Creek Park where Blount tricked Landsaw-Davis into handing over a handgun he was carrying. Hobbs then drew his Colt .45 caliber pistol and along with Blount ordered both victims out of the car at gun point.

Once exiting the vehicle, Hobbs shot Collier eight times in the torso with his Colt .45 caliber pistol, as Blount shot Landsaw-Davis with a 12-gauge shotgun that had been provided to him by Hobbs. As Collier lay gasping for breath, Hobbs reloaded his pistol and fired another 7-round magazine into Collier’s head and neck, killing him.

Hobbs and Blount then stole the victims’ phones and vehicle and fled the scene. They later abandoned the vehicle in Tulsa and set fire to it attempting to destroy evidence. Witnesses testified that Hobbs laughed and joked about the killings, mocking his victims’ last dying breaths.

Cheryl Collier, mother of Caleb Collier, in addressing the court said, “When I finally got to go see my son at the funeral home, they told me to be careful with him because his body had a lot of damage done to it. They said that they had to wrap him up from his neck to his feet so he would not come apart.”

Hobbs will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Codefendant Blount is still pending adjudication.

The FBI, Broken Arrow Police Department, and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar prosecuted the case.

TULSA, Okla. – United States Attorney Clint Johnson announced the results of the October 2023 Federal Grand Jury A.

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

Jacob Robin Gilmartin. Second Degree Murder in Indian Country. Jacob Robin Gilmartin, 30, a Cherokee citizen from Skiatook is charged with second degree murder in Indian country for allegedly causing a fatality collision while under the influence of a controlled substance. Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the FBI are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Ihler is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-315-GKF

Austin Lee Huffman. Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country; Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country; Kidnapping in Indian Country; Witness Tampering by Using and Threatening Physical Force. Austin Lee Huffman, 21, a Cherokee citizen from Broken Arrow, is charged with kidnapping, assault and witness tampering for allegedly assaulting and strangling his live-in girlfriend and then refusing to let her leave. Broken Arrow Police Department and FBI are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory Richard is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-322-GKF

Jason Mark Long. Assault with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country and Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Jason Mark Long, 45, of Pryor is charged with assault with intent to do bodily harm in Indian country and carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence for allegedly pulling the victims hair and placing a gun to her head while threatening to kill her. The Mayes County Sheriff’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigating agencies.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melody Nelson and Michele Hulgaard are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-325-GKF

Jin Kai Chen. Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute. Jin Kai Chen, 48, a Chinese national legally residing in Overland Park, Kansas, is charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute after he was allegedly found with over 100 kg of marijuana. The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Homeland Security Investigations are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Nasar is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-316-GKF

Joshua Keller. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Joshua Keller, 39, of Grove is charged with possession of meth with intent to distribute. The Grove Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-324-GKF

Carlon Wayne Smith. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country and Injury to Personal Property in Indian Country. Carlon Wayne Smith, 50, of Tulsa is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian country and injury to personal property in Indian country. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Cyran is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-314-JFH

Juan Antonio Martinez-Pasillas. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Juan Antonio Martinez-Pasillas, 32, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawful reentry of a removed alien for unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously deported and removed on or about December 23,2020, at or near Del Rio, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cymetra Williams is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-319-JFH

Eduardo Montoya Ibarra. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Eduardo Montoya Ibarra, 53, a Mexican national is charged with unlawful reentry of a removed alien for unlawfully reentering the United States after being previously deported on or about December 15, 2006, at or near Nogales, Arizona. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney David D. Whipple is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-323-GKF

Oscar Gaudalupe Lopez-Lara. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Oscar Gaudalupe Lopez-Lara, 44, a Mexican national is charged with unlawful reentry of a removed alien for unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously deported and removed on or about March 15, 2010, at or near Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-326-GKF

Jose Reyes- Palos. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Jose Reyes-Palos, 32, a Mexican national is charged with unlawful reentry of a removed alien for unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously deported and removed on or about August 7, 2019, at or near Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Anderson is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-327-GKF

TULSA, Okla. - An Owasso man who shot his uncle, after mistaking him for an intruder, pleaded guilty in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Bailey Warren Sparkman, 23, a Cherokee citizen of Owasso pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in Indian Country.

Bailey admitted that although the uncle had recently been kicked out of the house, he had a room and belongings there. Bailey was unaware that his uncle had returned to the home when he went downstairs and saw someone standing inside looking out the back door. Bailey further admitted that he retrieved a gun and without trying to ascertain the identity of the person fired a single shot striking the victim in the back of the head.

Bailey faces a maximum sentence of 8 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A date for sentencing has not been set.

The Owasso Police Department and FBI conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon Cozzoni and Valeria Luster are prosecuting the case.

TULSA, Okla. – A Nowata woman pleaded guilty in federal court to involuntary manslaughter in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.  

Amanda Myrene Fields Moffett, 43, a Cherokee citizen of Nowata pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in Indian country for shooting and killing her daughter while attempting to shoot a stray dog.

“Every gun owner has the legal responsibility to use extreme caution when discharging a firearm. This case unfortunately highlights the potential tragic results absent that caution,” said U.S. Attorney Clinton Johnson. 

After sunset on Oct. 5, 2018, Moffett’s daughter told her that a stray dog was attacking kittens outside.

Moffett admitted she stepped out onto her front porch and discharged a handgun into the dark yard at what she believed was the stray dog. Moffett further admitted that she did not confirm that her daughter was out of her line of fire.

Moffett faces a maximum of eight years in federal prison. A date for sentencing has not been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Moffett will remain on conditions of supervised release until sentencing.

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations, FBI and Nowata County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron Jolly and Valeria Luster are prosecuting the case.

TULSA, Okla. –A Broken Arrow woman who defrauded more than eight million dollars from Oklahoma State University Medical Center (OSUMC) pleaded guilty today in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Leslie Ann Ameen, 62, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark T. Steele and pleaded guilty to wire fraud.

“Ameen brazenly defrauded a state-funded institution without regard for the impact it might have on the medical needs of the community it serves and its related educational mission,” said U.S. Attorney Clinton Johnson. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office together with our law enforcement partners will continue to hold fraudsters and embezzlers accountable for their criminal conduct.”

“The defendant exploited a healthcare system funded by taxpayer dollars in order to line her own pockets,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively pursue those who seek to enrich themselves by diverting critical healthcare resources from where they are truly needed.”

Ameen admitted that, while employed as a Telecommunications Specialist at OSUMC, she devised and executed a scheme to defraud OSUMC. Specifically, she arranged for OSUMC to purchase electronic devices, including laptops, phones, and tablets from Techsico Enterprises Solutions, LLC, a company that provided telecommunications support services to OSUMC. Ameen further admitted that she arranged for the devices to be purchased so that she could fraudulently abscond with the devices and sell them for a profit. To accomplish this objective, Ameen caused Techsico to email her invoices for the devices, which she falsely represented to Techsico were being acquired for OSUMC’s business operations. Ameen then falsified the invoices by, among other things, forging the signature of her direct supervisor at OSUMC. As a result, Ameen caused OSUMC to pay for the devices without the knowledge or permission of her supervisors. Once the devices were acquired, she stole and then sold them to acquaintances and other individuals for a personal profit. In total, her scheme resulted in a loss to OSUMC of approximately $8,293,611.00. 

Ameen faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine of not more than $250,000 or twice the pecuniary gain/loss caused by her actions. Ameen further faces forfeiture of any property constituting, or derived from, or traceable to, the proceeds obtained, directly or indirectly, from the fraud, including, but not limited to a money judgment in an amount of at least $8,293,611.00. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A date for sentencing has not been set.

Ameen was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.

The FBI conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David D. Whipple is prosecuting the case.

TULSA, Okla. – United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the June 2023 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.

Nathan Dwayne Burks. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, and Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Nathan Dwayne Burks, 32, a Cherokee citizen is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country, and carrying, using, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence following a standoff with the Sand Springs Police Department and subsequent arrest. Sand Springs Police Department and FBI are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Cyran is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-312

John Arthur Walker Jr., Eric Ray Myers. Kidnapping. John Arthur Walker Jr., 49, and Eric Ray Myers, 31, both Muscogee citizens, are charged with kidnapping a person on or about Aug. 16, 2023. The Broken Arrow Police Department and FBI are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Harder and Kate Brandon are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-311

Jason Dale Hurt. Distribution of Heroin and Fentanyl Resulting in Death. Jason Dale Hurt, 49, is charged with distribution of heroin and fentanyl resulting in death after he allegedly distributed a mixture and substance containing heroin, a Schedule I controlled substance, and fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, resulting in the death of the victim. The Drug Enforcement Administration is the investigating agency. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Bailey and Michael Harder are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-308

Julia Lydia Savage. Drug Conspiracy. Julia Lydia Savage, 33, from Atascadero, California, is charged with drug conspiracy after she allegedly conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is the investigating agency. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Brasher and Nate Michael prosecuting the case. 23-CR-309

Rolando Alvarado-Villanueva. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Rolando Alvarado-Villanueva, 33, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after he was arrested by the Tulsa Police Department on unrelated charges. He had been previously deported and removed from the United States on or about Sept. 19,2014, at or near New Orleans, Louisiana. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Anderson is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-306

Jorge Becerra-Ambriz. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Jorge Becerra-Ambriz, 43, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after being arrested by the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office on unrelated charges. He was previously deported and removed from the United States on or about July 31, 2020, at or near Hidalgo, Texas. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl Baber is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-307

 Carlos Manuel Rivera-Lopez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Carlos Manuel Rivera-Lopez, 23, a Honduran national, is charged with unlawful reentry of a removed alien after being arrested by Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Police Department on unrelated charges. He was previously deported and removed from the United States on or about Aug. 13,2018, at or near Houston, Texas. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cymetra Williams is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-310

TULSA, Okla. – A man from Katy, Texas, entered a plea of guilty Wednesday to coercion and enticement of a minor, and travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.  

Lee Finch II, 48, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark T. Steele and pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor, and travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.

“Lee Finch II groomed the 14-year-old victim and traveled from Texas multiple times to engage in sexual activity with her. The U.S Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners with continue to marshal our resources to apprehend and prosecute child predators,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.  

“Through his deplorable crimes, this defendant has proven to be a threat to his community,” said Robert Melton, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) Dallas’ Oklahoma and Texas Panhandle Division. “He pled guilty to sexually exploiting a vulnerable child on numerous occasions, stripping the victim’s innocence without regard for the adverse impact it would cause. HSI and our law enforcement partners will never relent in our efforts to stop the communities we live from becoming a proving ground for child predators.”

Finch admitted in his plea that he began grooming the victim when she was 12 years old and that between February 2018 and April 2018, he knowingly communicated with the victim, a then 14-year-old girl, multiple times and used text messages to discuss engaging in sexual activities and to coordinate in-person meetings to engage in sexual activity. He further admitted that he knew the true age of the victim; and that he traveled from his home in Katy, Texas, to Tulsa multiple times, where he met the victim and engaged in illicit sexual activities.

Finch faces a maximum of 15 years in federal prison. A date for sentencing has not been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Federal sentences do not allow for parole or early release.

Finch has been and will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service pending sentencing.

The Tulsa Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Dunn is prosecuting the case.

The case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which coordinate federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.

TULSA, Okla. – The last of multiple defendants involved in the abduction and death of an Osage Nation citizen pleaded guilty on Tuesday to murder in the second degree in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.  

Tre Robert Allen Ackerson, 29, of Webb City, Missouri, pleaded guilty to second degree murder for the killing of Osage citizen Jolene Walker Campbell. Ackerson faces up to life in federal prison with no possibility of parole.

“Tre Ackerson, along with codefendant Breanna Sloan, conspired to kidnap and brutally murder the victim. Then they conspired with additional codefendants to threaten witnesses and destroy evidence in an extensive effort to cover up their crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This final conviction reflects three years of work and commitment from our law enforcement partners and federal prosecutors to provide justice for the victim and her family.”

“Jolene Campbell was only 35 when she was brutally murdered, a young woman with a long life ahead of her. She left behind a grieving family that deserves justice, and after three long years and 9 convictions, we hope they can finally begin to heal from this tragic loss,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the FBI and our law enforcement partners, the defendants are now facing decades in prison for their involvement in this horrific crime.”

In the early morning hours of July 5, 2020, codefendant Breanna Sloan and Ackerson were driving around Joplin, Missouri. Ackerson spotted Campbell walking on the side of the road and stated, “that’s that bitch!” Ackerson told Sloan he had robbed Campbell just a few hours earlier, and Sloan asked whether he wanted to lure Campbell into the vehicle. Ackerson agreed.

Sloan drove past Campbell to let Ackerson hide in the woods. She then waited in the car for Campbell to reach her location and offered her a ride After Campbell got into the front passenger seat, Ackerson emerged from the woods armed with a gun, climbed into the rear seat, and told Sloan to drive.

Ackerson attempted to rob Campbell again, but she had nothing more for him to steal. Campbell suggested they go meet someone else she knew in Oklahoma City to obtain the money Ackerson wanted. During the drive from Missouri through Oklahoma, Campbell fell asleep. They stopped at a gas station in Tulsa before Sloan took a fateful detour into Mayes County, Oklahoma to go to another destination for supplies.

Before they reached the intended destination, Ackerson instructed Sloan to turn into a rural field and stop on a dead-end dirt road. Ackerson then got out of the car and opened the rear passenger door, causing a still-sleeping Campbell to partially fall out into the road. Ackerson then forced Campbell into the field and killed her.

The victim’s body was discovered on July 15, 2020, in the same Mayes County field where Ackerson killed her, within the boundaries of the Muscogee Nation reservation. 

A year later, on July 20, 2021, 11 defendants from the Joplin, Missouri, area were charged for their various roles related to the kidnapping that led to the death of the victim and for conspiring to obstruct the ensuing federal investigation, including tampering with witnesses by using and threatening physical force.

Ackerson admitted that he intentionally shot the victim multiple times, cut her throat, and hit her head several times with a tire jack until she died from the injuries.  He further admitted to conspiring with the other codefendants to obstruct, threaten, and tamper with witnesses that had information relating to the kidnapping and murder.

Ackerson has been and will remain in the custody of the Marshal Service pending formal sentencing at a future date and faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison.

The additional defendants in this case, all currently in custody, are as follows:

Breanna Lynn Sloan, 24, pleaded guilty on Nov. 17, 2022, and admitted that from July 4, 2020, to July 5, 2020, she aided and abetted codefendant Ackerson, in the kidnapping of the victim and that the victim died as a result of the kidnapping. Sloan faces up to life in prison.

Chloe Louise Stith, 23, pleaded guilty on May 5, 2022, to witness tampering by using and threatening physical force. Stith admitted that she helped another person in a separate incident in the use of force against two other witnesses with the intention of keeping them from communicating with federal law enforcement about Campbell’s disappearance and subsequent murder. She admitted to covering the two witnesses’ eyes with duct tape and driving the witnesses against their will to a remote location where one witness was physically assaulted by the other person who had accompanied Stith. The incident occurred on Aug. 13, 2020. Stith faces up to 30 years in prison.

Sarah Michelle Humbard, 26, and David William Morris, 35 each pleaded guilty to witness tampering by using the threat of physical force. Humbard and Morris both admitted that they threatened a witness by referencing Campbell’s murder and that the witness was “playing with fire.” The two further admitted to luring the witness to drive to the Precious Moments Hotel in Carthage, Missouri, where codefendant Lane Bronson confronted the witness. Bronson, who is Ackerson’s brother, then demanded the witness change testimony regarding codefendant Ackerson, and if not, the witness would pay for it. Humbard pleaded guilty on April 21, 2022, and Morris pleaded guilty May 13, 2022. They each face a maximum of 20 years.

Lane Ryan Bronson, 30, pleaded guilty on Nov. 21, 2022, to witness tampering by using and threatening physical force and faces a maximum of 30 years. Bronson admitted to assaulting and using physical force on witnesses with the intention of preventing them from communicating with federal law enforcement officers about his brother’s involvement in Campbell’s kidnapping and killing.

Morgan Lee Bowman, 28, pleaded guilty on May 9, 2022, to tampering with a witness, victim, and informant by using and threatening physical force and faces a maximum of 30 years. Bowman admitted that on July 7, 2020, she, Megan Louise Detherage, and Bronson bound, blindfolded, and kidnapped two witnesses from a Joplin home and drove them to a remote location in Seneca, Missouri, that was occupied by Ackerson and Sloan. She stated that while at that location, Ackerson used a semi-automatic rifle to shoot at one of the witnesses and told the witness to “dance.” The second witness, who was still bound and blindfolded, was forced to listen. Bowman stated that after the shooting, she, Sloan, and Detherage took the witnesses’ personal belongings and wiped down the car used in the kidnapping with bleach with the intention of destroying DNA and fingerprint evidence. Bowman admitted that at the time of the crime, she understood that a federal proceeding was likely to evolve in relation to the kidnapping and killing of Campbell and that they threatened the witnesses with the intent to prevent communication with law enforcement about the crimes.

Jacob Ryan Scribner, 35, pleaded guilty on Jan. 6, 2023, to conspiracy to retaliate against a witness and informant, and he is facing 20 years in prison. Scribner admitted to having a recorded jail call with Stith regarding a witness that had been talking to the FBI. They believed the witness was also going to be placed in custody at the same jail facility as Scribner. Stith told Scribner that she would pay a $75 bounty to anybody to “relay a great message” to the witness. Scribner agreed to relay the bounty around the facility with the understanding that Stith was offering to pay money for someone to assault the witness for talking to the FBI.

Megan Louise Detherage, 29 pleaded guilty on May 10, 2022, to misprision of a felony and faces a maximum of three years. Detherage admitted that she failed to inform law enforcement about her participation in a kidnapping for the purpose of intimidating witnesses of a drug trafficking offense. On July 7, 2020, she, Bronson, Bowman, and two witnesses were present at a house in Joplin. She stated that at Bronson’s direction, she and Bowman blindfolded the two witnesses and they drove the witnesses to a trailer in Seneca, Missouri, where Ackerson and Sloan were located. She stated that Ackerson and Bronson left with one of the witnesses, then returned and parked behind the trailer. She, Sloan, and Bowman then wiped down the car used in the kidnapping with bleach at the direction of Bronson. During that time, she claimed that she heard gunshots fired in the direction of where Ackerson and one of the witnesses were located, causing the second witness to become fearful. She stated the only firearm she saw during the kidnapping was a short-barreled rifle carried by Ackerson.

Charges were dismissed on the remaining 2 defendants pursuant to diversionary agreements.

A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI, Mayes County Sheriff’s Office, Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Police Department, and the Joplin Police Department conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Bish and George Jiang prosecuted the case.

TULSA, Okla. – United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the September 2023 Federal Grand Jury A.

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

James O'dean Clifton. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Assault Resulting in Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Child Neglect in Indian Country; and First-Degree Burglary in Indian Country. James O’dean Clifton, 39, a citizen of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians from Tulsa, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon with intend to do bodily harm in Indian Country; assault resulting in bodily injury in Indian Country; child neglect in Indian Country; and first-degree burglary in Indian Country after police responded to multiple domestic calls. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mallory Richard and Stacey Todd are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-284

Carl Duaine Coffey. Distribution of Methamphetamine and Distribution of Fentanyl. Carl Duaine Coffey, 46, from Tulsa is charged with distribution of methamphetamine and distribution of fentanyl. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is the investigating agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-Lyn McCormick is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-294

Anthony Aaron King. Assault of a Spouse/Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling, Suffocating, and Attempting to Strangle and Suffocate in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Sexual Abuse without Consent. Anthony Aaron King, 43, a Muskogee citizen from Tulsa is charged with three counts of assault of a spouse/intimate/dating partner by strangling, suffocating, and attempting to strangle and suffocate in Indian Country; two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country; and two counts of sexual abuse without consent. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Harder and Stacey Todd are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-251

Brayden Kent Bull. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under 12 Years of Age in Indian Country: Production of Child Pornography; Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography; and Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country. Brayden Kent Bull, 25, a Navajo citizen of Claremore, is charged with aggravated sexual abuse of a minor under 12 years of age in Indian Country: production of child pornography; receipt and distribution of child pornography; and possession of child pornography in Indian Country. Rogers County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Robert and Christopher Nassar are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-283

Pedro Antonio Lopez Guerra. Distribution of Fentanyl. Pedro Antonio Lopez Guerra, 27, of Tulsa, is charged with three counts of distribution of fentanyl. Drug Enforcement Administration is the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn McCormick is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-295

Kedarrion Ramon Simmons. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Making a false Statement in the Attempted Acquisition of a Firearm. Kedarrion Ramon Simmons, 30, of Tulsa is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and making a false statement in the attempted acquisition of a firearm. The Tulsa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shakema Onias and John Brasher are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-290

Keelan Marquez Smallwood. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Keelan Marquez Smallwood, 32, of Tulsa is charged with two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country, carrying, using, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The Tulsa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-286

Kenyon Ray Vessell. Second Degree Murder in Indian Country; Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country. Kenyon Ray Vessell, 24, a Muscogee citizen from Choctaw is charged with second degree murder in Indian Country and assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country after allegedly driving under the influence of a controlled substance and crashing into a vehicle causing the death of the driver and injuring another. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol and FBI are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Ihler is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-288

Cristian Josue Mejia-Garcia. Alien Unlawfully in the United States in the Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Cristian Josue Mejia-Garcia, 24, a Honduran national found in Tulsa, is charged with alien unlawfully in the United States in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The Tulsa Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Enforcement and Removal Operations have all contributed to the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl Barber is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-285

Elder Jony Perez Zacarias. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Elder Jony Perez Zacarias, 32, a Guatemalan residing in Tulsa, is charged with unlawful reentry of a removed alien after being arrested by the Tulsa Police Department on unrelated charges. Once in custody it was determined that Perez-Zacarias had unlawfully reentered the United States after having been deported to Guatemala on January 16, 2020, at Alexandria, LA. Perez-Zacarias has been removed on three previous occasions. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cymetra Williams is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-287

TULSA, Okla. – Two defendants from Bristow have pleaded guilty in federal court to distribution of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.  

Julio Barcenas Velazquez, 39, a Mexican National, and Stephanie Lynn Mudgett, 37, a Muskogee Nation citizen, both of Bristow have pleaded guilty to distribution of meth.

“These defendants ran their operation from the small town of Bristow, distributing poison to that community and ours, and thinking they could hide from the law,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “I want to thank our local law enforcement partners for tracking these operations and bringing them for prosecution.”

The defendants, working together, sought to traffic large quantities of meth and fentanyl pills in Creek County, Oklahoma. In their plea agreements both defendants admitted to knowingly and intentionally distributing meth. In addition, Velazquez will forfeit his interest in a parcel of property as well as money relating to drug transactions.

Velazquez and Mudgett have yet to be scheduled for sentencing. At sentencing they both face a maximum penalty of 40 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Both defendants have been and will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service pending sentencing.

The Muscogee Lighthorse Police, Creek County Sheriff’s Office, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang is prosecuting the case.

The prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

TULSA Okla. – An Ardmore man was sentenced yesterday to 30 years for coercion and enticement of a 15-year-old girl, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett sentenced Dustin James Gullett, 43, to 30 years in federal prison for coercion and enticement of a minor. Judge Starrett further ordered lifetime post release supervision. 

“Dustin Gullett is a sexual predator that convinced the victim he loved her, then persuaded her to produce child porn and meet him. He then drugged her and raped her, said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.” Our office is committed to prosecuting the predators that target Oklahoma’s children.

According to court documents, Gullett enticed the 15-year-old victim to produce images of herself engaged in sexually explicit conduct and persuaded her to send those images to him. Gullet told the victim “He didn’t care if she wasn’t legal, because everything else he does is illegal.” Later, Gullet met the victim in person, drugged her, tied her arms behind her back and raped her approximately four times over several hours.

Gullett has been and will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The Bartlesville Police Department and the Joint Homeland Security Task Force investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey Todd and Christopher Nassar prosecuted the case.

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

TULSA, Okla. – The Justice Department announced today a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Oklahoma Supreme Court, Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) to resolve a civil rights investigation and improve access to Oklahoma state courts for people with limited English proficiency (LEP).

The department received a complaint alleging the Mayes County District Court failed to provide meaningful access for a person with LEP in a family court case. The Justice Department initiated an investigation under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color and national origin by recipients of federal financial assistance. The Justice Department subsequently paused the Title VI investigation in response to the AOC’s affirmative steps to provide meaningful access for all court users with LEP. Among other actions, the AOC provided interpreter services at no cost to the person with LEP identified in the complaint, hired a language access coordinator, and proposed legislation, which became state law. That law eliminates interpreter fees charged to LEP parties. It also authorized a statewide fund to support court language interpretation and translation services.

“People should not be penalized for their limited English proficiency and should not encounter difficulty in obtaining the language assistance services they need to fairly participate in court proceedings and operations,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This agreement stands as a model for ensuring access to the courts for all people regardless of English proficiency and outlines the actions needed to eliminate barriers for court users with limited English proficiency in Oklahoma.”  

“With the new state law and the MOU, Oklahoma has demonstrated a commitment to improving access to justice in our state,” said U.S. Attorney Clinton J. Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma. “We are committed to working with our state courts to ensure compliance with Title VI and related civil rights laws.”

Under the MOU, the AOC will provide oral and written language assistance services in all civil and criminal proceedings and operations court operations at no cost to individuals with LEP, will develop a statewide language access plan, and will add translations of vital documents. The AOC will also improve its case management system to better track language needs, develop a language access complaint process, create, and distribute a translated interpreter services notice for courthouses, and create and issue a video remote interpreter guidance for court staff.

This matter was conducted jointly by attorneys in the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma (USAOKN). Assistant U.S. Attorney Marianne Hardcastle handled the case for USAOKN.

Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt and information about limited English proficiency and Title VI is available at www.lep.gov. Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at www.civilrights.justice.gov/report/ or with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma at www.justice.gov/usao-ndok/contact-us.

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TULSA Okla. – A Claremore man was sentenced to 33 months in prison for assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country and assault by beating, striking, and wounding, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett sentenced Robert Ross Patton Jr., 47, of Claremore to 33 months in federal prison for assault with a dangerous weapon and 12 months for assault by beating, striking, and wounding. The sentences are to run concurrently and will be followed by 3 years of supervised release.

During his allocution, the defendant told the Judge, “I’m sorry I did it.”

Judge Starrett in addressing the defendant acknowledged that he heard him, but told the defendant, “What happened was terrible and you have a price to pay.”

Patton violently attacked his girlfriend, pulled a knife on her, threatened to kill her, and stabbed at her head and neck multiple times. Patton then stabbed the knife into the wall, dragged the victim to the bathroom, repeatedly banged her head into the tub and punched her in the face. Patton further told the victim that she “needed to get into the tub so that when he killed her, she would not get blood all over the house,” and that “she was not leaving there alive.”

While his case was pending, Patton cut off his ankle monitor and fled the state. When he ran out of money, he called his parents and asked them to come pick him up in Arkansas. When law enforcement located him at his parent’s residence, he fled into the woods where he hid out for over 24 hours before a concerned citizen called the police. He was apprehended and on April 4, 2023, Patton pled guilty and admitted to assaulting the victim.

Patton has been and will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshall pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The Rogers County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Briden prosecuted the case.

TULSA, Okla. – A previously convicted sex offender who sexually assaulted a homeless woman taking shelter from the Father’s Day storm pleaded guilty in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Dennis Ray Thompson, a homeless 64-year-old Choctaw Nation citizen from Tulsa, pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual abuse by force in Indian Country and failure to register as a sex offender.  

“Thompson was caught in the act of sexually violating the victim where she was taking shelter from the Father’s Day storm,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Crimes among the homeless community are often harder to solve and prosecute because of the transient nature of both the accused and the victims; but our office, with help and dedication of our law enforcement partners, will continue to prosecute the offenders and seek justice for the victims.”  

In the early morning hours of June 19, 2023, Tulsa Police Officers spotted Thompson on the sidewalk, completely naked, pinning down the victim. They noticed the victim was in distress and crying. The victim, who was homeless and legally blind, informed the officers she “didn’t want this,” and that she had not consented. Thompson claimed he knew Bannon “from the streets,” but could not tell the officers her name.

In his plea, Thompson admitted to striking the victim in the face, pinning her to the ground and sexually assaulting her. He further admitted that he knew he was required to register as a sex offender and that he had failed to do so.

Thompson faces up to life in federal prison and a fine of not more than $250.000. A federal district court judge will determine his sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Thompson has been and will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service pending sentencing.

The Tulsa Police Department and FBI conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Briden is prosecuting the case.

TULSA Okla. – A Bartlesville man was sentenced today to three years in prison for stalking and threatening Congressman Kevin Hern and his wife, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett sentenced Keith Charles Eisenberger, 40, to three years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for cyberstalking, threatening to kidnap and assault a member of Congress, and threatening to kidnap and assault the spouse of a member of Congress.

“Eisenberger threatened a member of Congress and his family in an attempt to interfere with and undermine our democratic process and the duties of that official,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. Online threats of violence meant to intimidate elected officials, or any member of our community are criminal acts and will be investigated and prosecuted.”

For nearly four years, the Hern family had to deal with stalking, harassment, and threats from the Defendant, both online and in person, from Tulsa to Washington, D.C..

Beginning in late 2018, Eisenberger began making a series of harassing phone calls and in-person visits to both the Tulsa and Washington D.C. offices of Congressman Hern, which led to him being removed by U.S. Capitol Police on several occasions. Eisenberger stated he had a personal vendetta against Congressman Hern, because he believed the congressman had been appointed to the OK-1 congressional seat without Eisenberger being considered for it.

In 2020, Eisenberger began voicing his grievances in dozens of social media posts. In Nov. 2020, Eisenberger made a post again voicing his anger about the election and further suggesting that the congressman deserved to be “federally executed” and that if that was not feasible then the resignation, death, or expulsion of Hern was acceptable.

In a lengthy Oct. 2021, social media video post, he touted that he was going to assault and hospitalize the congressman, whether it be at a debate, a conference, or elsewhere.

In a May 11, 2022, social media post, Eisenberger stated that he knew where the Hern family lived and that he hoped to break into the residence to kidnap Hern and his wife. He further wished death would come to the congressman’s wife and children.

During his plea, on Aug. 10, 2022, Eisenberger admitted to using electronic devices and cellular devices to send threats through cyber space with the intent to harass, intimidate, and threaten United States Representative Kevin Hern. Eisenberger further admitted that he threatened to assault and kidnap Representative Hern and his spouse with the intent to impede, intimidate, and interfere with Representative Hern while he was engaged in his official duties, and to retaliate against the Representative.

Eisenberger will remain in the custody of U.S. Marshal Service pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The FBI investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Nassar prosecuted the case.

TULSA, Okla. – – The Justice Department announced today a settlement agreement to resolve allegations that American Bank of Oklahoma engaged in a pattern or practice of lending discrimination by redlining in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The affected area includes the historically Black neighborhoods that were the site of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.

This resolution is part of the department’s nationwide Combating Redlining Initiative launched by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in October 2021.

Redlining is an illegal practice in which lenders avoid providing credit services to individuals living in communities of color because of the race, color, or national origin of the residents in those communities. 

“Providing equal access to credit is essential in every community, but the painful history of Tulsa makes this agreement particularly poignant because the redlined areas include historically Black neighborhoods that have endured the legacy of racial violence and the continuing effects of segregation and discrimination,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This agreement will help expand investment in Black communities and communities of color in Tulsa and increase opportunities for homeownership and financial stability. Remedial provisions in the agreement will open opportunities for building generational wealth while focusing on neighborhoods that bear the scars of the Tulsa Race Massacre. The Justice Department will continue to combat redlining and ensure equal access to credit for all Americans.”

“American Bank of Oklahoma engaged in the illegal practice of redlining and failed to serve the diverse members of our Tulsa community as they attempted to purchase homes,” said U.S. Attorney Clinton Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma. “These practices are often hard to identify and prosecute and I want to thank the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division for taking measures to correct these abhorrent business practices.”

The complaint filed in federal court today alleges that, from 2017 through at least 2021, American Bank of Oklahoma failed to provide mortgage lending services to majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in the Tulsa metropolitan area.  Specifically, the department alleges that all American Bank of Oklahoma’s branches and loan production offices were located in majority-white neighborhoods, that the bank designated a service area that excluded all majority-Black and Hispanic-census tracts in the metropolitan area, and that the bank failed to appropriately monitor and address fair lending risk. 

As a result, the bank’s loan officers did not serve the credit needs of Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in and around Tulsa, and the bank’s actions reinforced and perpetuated segregated housing patterns because of race, color, or national origin. The complaint also alleges that bank employees, including executives and loan officers, sent and received emails on their work email accounts containing racial slurs and racist content.

Under the proposed consent order, which is subject to court approval, American Bank of Oklahoma has agreed to invest over $1.15 million to increase credit opportunities in neighborhoods of color in the Tulsa metropolitan area. The bank will invest at least $950,000 in a loan subsidy fund for residents of majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in the Tulsa area; $100,000 for advertising, outreach, and consumer education; and $100,000 for development of community partnerships to provide services that increase access to residential mortgage credit. The bank will also open a new community-oriented loan production office in the historically Black area of Tulsa; ensure at least two mortgage loan officers are dedicated to serving majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in and around Tulsa; host at least six consumer financial education seminars per year, with translation and interpretation services in Spanish; and will employ a full-time director of community lending, who will oversee the continued development of lending in neighborhoods of color in the Tulsa area.

The department opened its investigation into American Bank of Oklahoma’s lending practices after receiving a referral from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The bank cooperated with the department’s investigation and worked with the department to resolve these allegations.

In October 2021, the department launched its Combating Redlining Initiative as a coordinated enforcement effort to address this persistent form of discrimination against communities of color. Since the initiative was launched, the department has announced eight redlining cases and settlements and secured $89 million in relief for communities of color that have been victims of lending discrimination across the country.

More information about the department’s fair lending enforcement can be found at www.justice.gov/crt/fair-lending-program. Individuals may report lending discrimination by calling the Justice Department’s housing discrimination tip line at 1-833-591-0291 or submitting a report online.

Complaint & Exhibits

Consent Order

TULSA Okla. – An Israeli national on a work VISA from Denver was sentenced to more than 4 years in federal prison for aggravated sexual abuse by force and threat in Indian County announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett sentenced Yakir Yakoz Zofi, 33, to four years and six months followed by five years of supervised release. Judge Starrett further ordered Zofi to pay restitution.

“Zofi is a foreign national who traveled to Bartlesville, while working in another state, and forcibly violated a member of our community,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “I want to thank the victim for having the strength to pursue justice in this case.”  

Zofi had traveled to the victim’s home on November 21, 2021, for a date. On July 8, 2022, Zofi pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault and admitted that he held the victim down and forcibly raped her.

Zofi will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. After serving his sentence, Zofi faces deportation and a permanent ban from re-entry to the United States.

The Bartlesville Police Department and the FBI investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Jolly and Steven Briden prosecuted the case.

TULSA Okla. – A Broken Arrow man who sexually exploited a young child and was an administrator for a transnational child exploitation chat group was sentenced to life in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Chief Judge John F. Heil III sentenced Cameron Kelly McAbee, 33, to life in federal prison.

“McAbee was the ringleader in a child porn enterprise identified through an investigation by the FBI and our task force partners. In addition to McAbee a group of 47 other predators were identified and have or will face justice in their respective jurisdictions for the trauma they have caused to children,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners in Oklahoma and across the nation will continue to identify, track, arrest and prosecute pedophiles who harm the most vulnerable among us.”

On July 26, 2021, the FBI linked the administrator of an online account engaged in child porn activities to McAbee and his Broken Arrow address. The FBI executed a search warrant of the residence and McAbee was taken into custody that same day.

In his plea agreement, McAbee admitted that from July 1, 2019, to July 26, 2021, he knowingly engaged in a child exploitation enterprise, taking part in a series of felony violations comprised of more than three separate incidents, involving more than one victim, and in concert with more than three other people.

McAbee admitted to being an administrator of an online messenger platform and group chats where members of the group exchanged numerous images and videos depicting the rape and molestation of children. He stated that the groups involved at least 21 members and at least eight child victims. As part of gaining access to one of the groups, McAbee required members to show proof of access to a child victim and they were expected to share images and videos of the sexual abuse of that child to maintain access to the group, as well as share other images and videos of child sexual abuse obtained elsewhere. McAbee admitted to being partly responsible for confirming a prospective member’s access to a child victim and admitting them to the group. McAbee also admitted that from July 1, 2019, to July 26, 2021, he had a minor engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions that he would share online in these group chats.

The investigation into McAbee and the chat groups, led to the identification of 47 other alleged child predators from the United States, Australia, Canada, and Norway and led to the rescue or identification of more than 100 child victims.

McAbee will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office (Tulsa Resident Agency), FBI Atlanta Field Office, Broken Arrow Police Department, and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Nassar and Ashley M. Robert are prosecuting the case.

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

Tulsa Okla. - United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the August 2023 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.

Michael Robert Brown. Assault With a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Michael Robert Brown, 32, a Cherokee citizen from Skiatook, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to cause bodily harm in Indian Country. Brown allegedly stabbed the victim in the head with a pair of scissors during a domestic dispute. Skiatook Police Department and the FBI are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mallory Richard and Stacey Todd are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-274

Joseph James Burris & Chloe Jayde Burris. Child Neglect in Indian Country; Tampering with a Witness by Corrupt Persuasion and Misleading Conduct; Evidence Tampering. Joseph James Burris, 20, a Cherokee citizen is charged with child neglect in Indian Country, tampering with a witness by corrupt persuasion and misleading conduct, and evidence tampering. Chloe Jayde Burris, 20, is charged with child neglect in Indian Country and evidence tampering. The Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, Vinita Police Department, and the FBI are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Ihler is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-276

Daniel Lawrence Charba. Unlawfully making a destructive device, Possession of an unregistered destructive device. Daniel Lawrence Charba, 32, of Tulsa, is charged with unlawfully making a destructive device and possession of an unregistered destructive device. The Tulsa Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Michel is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-264

Clinton Dewayne Collins. Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country. Clinton Dewayne Collins, 54, a Choctaw Nation citizen is charged with assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigating agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Cyran is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-265 *Update* The Defendant, Clinton Dewayne Collins, was acquitted of the charges alleged in the indictment.

Steven Lee Hindman. Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; and Felon in Possession of Ammunition.  Steven Lee Hindman, 57, a Cherokee Nation citizen from Delaware, Oklahoma, is charged with two counts of assault with intent to commit murder in Indian Country; two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country; carrying, using, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; and for being a felon in possession of ammunition. . Nowata Sheriff’s Office, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Dunn is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-278

Rolland James Miles. Attempted Carjacking; Assault with Intent to Commit a Felony in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; and two counts of Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Rolland James Miles, 20, a Muscogee Nation citizen is charged with attempted carjacking; assault with intent to commit a felony in Indian Country; assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country, and two counts of carrying, using, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence after allegedly firing shots at a Tulsa apartment complex. The Tulsa Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Cyran and Dennis Fries are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-249

Christopher Ryan Stafford. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm, and felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Christopher Ryan Stafford, 40, a Muscogee Nation citizen from Tulsa is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The Tulsa Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shakema Onias and Dennis Fries is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-269

Ladarion Deontrae Ladrue Tibbs. Possession of a Stolen Firearm; Receipt of a Firearm While Under Indictment for a Felony. Ladarion Deontrae Ladrue Tibbs, 21, a Seminole Nation citizen from Tulsa is charged with possession of a stolen firearm and receipt of a firearm while under indictment for a felony. The Tulsa Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shakema Onias and John Dowdell is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-261

Teresa Antonia Caceres- Rivera Unlawful reentry of a removed alien. Teresa Antonia Caceres- Rivera, 30, a Mexican National is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously deported and removed therefrom on or about October 14,2019, at or near Houston, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Anderson is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-263

Jaime Delarosa. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Jaime Delarosa, 40, a Mexican National is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously deported and removed therefrom on or about May 26,2016, at or near Hidalgo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Anderson is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-266

Mario Montes-Gallarza. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Mario Montes-Gallarza, 60, a Mexican National is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously deported and removed therefrom on or about May 26,2016, at or near Hidalgo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Whipple is prosecuting the case.  23-CR-267

Cruz Morales-Gutierrez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Cruz Morales-Gutierrez, 45, a Mexican National, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously deported and removed therefrom on or about Jan. 18,2013, at or near Del Rio, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Buscemi is prosecuting the case.  23-CR-268

TULSA Okla. – A Cherokee teenager was sentenced yesterday to more than 17 years in federal prison for second degree murder of a toddler, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Chief Judge John F Heil III sentenced Cherokee citizen Terry Nathan Hindman, 19, of Bartlesville to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.

“This young child suffered horrible abuse and a tragic death from the abuse of Terry Hindman,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to fight for justice against those who harm Oklahoma’s children.”

During the sentencing, Judge Heil addressed the family saying that he “would like to create a sentence that will heal the pain, but I can’t do that.” He further addressed the defendant stating, “You can’t possibly make up for the damage you’ve done, but moving forward you can try.”

The father of the victim addressed the court about Hindman before sentencing and said, “I fear he enjoyed giving him (the child) something to cry about;” and “What possible excuse could you have for torturing a child?” The father further stated, “Our memories of our son are now haunted by memories of pain.”

In a statement read to the court, Dylan Chapman, the uncle of the victim said, “Words cannot fully capture the depth of pain our family has suffered. There is nothing more heartbreaking than seeing a dying child.”

During his plea on May 9, 2022, Hindman admitted that on Sept. 29, 2021, he threw the 23-month-old victim causing the injuries that killed him. Hindman stated that he intentionally threw the victim “from across the room onto a couch in the apartment with excessive force.” Hindman said the child “hit his head on the wall behind the couch and landed on a table in front of the couch striking his head. Afterwards, he stumbled around and seem dazed.” Hindman did not seek medical attention for the toddler and did not tell anyone of the incident, including doctors when the child was taken to the hospital later that day.

Hindman further admitted that on Oct. 2, 2021, he was again watching the child when he began having medical problems and appeared to be having a hard time breathing. Hindman stated, “I did not seek medical care,” but the toddler was taken to the hospital and “I again failed to tell anyone of his previous injury.”

The child died from blunt force trauma on Oct. 7, 2021, because of his original injury on Sept. 29, 2021.

Hindman will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal Service pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The Bartlesville Police Department and FBI investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chantelle Dial and Shannon Cozzoni prosecuted the case.