Western District of Oklahoma

On June 11, 2021, Baldwin pleaded guilty to production of child pornography as charged in Count 1 of the Indictment.  As part of his plea, Baldwin admitted that he set up a hidden camera in a bathroom and recorded a child change clothes and take a shower.  He further admitted that he transmitted images of the recording outside Oklahoma using the Internet.

Today, Senior U.S. District Judge Joe Heaton sentenced Baldwin to serve 300 months in federal prison for his conduct, followed by 10 years of supervised release.  In imposing the sentence, Judge Heaton noted the history and characteristics of the defendant, and the serious nature and circumstances of the offense, specifically highlighting the exploitation of those who are most vulnerable

This case is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations – Oklahoma City.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Bow Bottomly prosecuted the case.

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

Reference is made to court filings for further information.

OKLAHOMA CITY – MATTHEW DOUGLAS ARMISTEAD, age 62, of Moore, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty yesterday to possession of material containing child pornography that involved a prepubescent minor.

On December 8, 2021, Mr. Armistead was charged by a superseding information with possessing an external hard drive containing child pornography that involved a prepubescent minor.  On July 6, 2021, a federal grand jury sitting in the Western District of Oklahoma returned a one-count Indictment that charged Mr. Armistead with knowing receipt of child pornography.

Yesterday, Mr. Armistead pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Patrick Wyrick to the same charge alleged in a Superseding Information.  As part of his plea, Mr. Armistead admitted that he possessed an external hard drive containing images of child pornography that involved a prepubescent minor in August 2021.

Mr. Armistead faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, at least five years of supervised release, and a $22,100 special assessment.  Sentencing will take place in approximately 90 days.  Mr. Armistead will have to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

This case is the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bow Bottomly.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC 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 PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Reference is made to court filings for further information.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, RONALD DAVID KIRKPATRICK II, age 51, of Norman, pleaded guilty to uttering forged securities, in connection with his taking over $830,000 from a Norman based oil and gas exploration company, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

On July 7, 2020, Kirkpatrick was charged by Indictment of 10 counts of bank fraud, 10 counts of  uttering forged securities, and four counts of aggravated identity theft.  Public records reflect that from 2007 through October 2018, Kirkpatrick worked at a Norman based oil and gas exploration company as an accountant.   

Today, Kirkpatrick pleaded guilty to writing a forged check from his company’s bank account made payable to himself, in the amount of $7,275, in August 2018.  At today’s change of plea hearing, Kirkpatrick admitted that he used this method of forging checks to take money from his former employer from 2015 through 2018, and he stipulated that the total loss to the company resulting from his conduct was $831,372.82.  Public records allege Kirkpatrick used the proceeds from the forged checks to pay for vacations, car purchases, and to buy inventory for a business he planned to open.  He admitted today he used the proceeds from his scheme for personal gain.

At sentencing, Kirkpatrick faces up to 10 years in federal prison, plus three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.  As part of the plea agreement, Kirkpatrick agreed to pay restitution to the oil and gas company in the amount of $831,372.82.  Kirkpatrick will be sentenced in approximately 90 days. 

This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI’s Oklahoma City Field Office.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bow Bottomly. 

Reference is made to the information and other public filings for further information.

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Department of Justice announced today that it has awarded more than $17.5 million in grants to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. Funding will support efforts across the country to address violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. The Office of the Oklahoma Attorney General was awarded $326,903 to administer PSN grant funds in Oklahoma.  Acting U.S. Attorney Clinton J. Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma, Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma, and Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Wilson for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, joined in the announcement.

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), part of the department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), will administer the 88 grant awards, which are being made to designated fiscal agents to support local PSN projects that work in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.  With approval from BJA, the Fiscal Agent will begin the process of making subawards for PSN grant projects.

"This latest Project Safe Neighborhoods grant is critical to addressing the violent crime threatening cities and towns all across our country," said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. "Ensuring the safety of all Americans is the highest priority for the Department of Justice, but when it comes to violent crime, there is not a one-size-fits-all solution. We have to work closely with local public safety agencies as well as community organizations to craft individual strategies unique to each community’s needs. Programs like Project Safe Neighborhoods and the funding it provides allow us to do just that."

"Violent crime impacts communities throughout Oklahoma. This grant funding will continue to allow our Offices to coordinate with the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office and our law enforcement partners to reduce violence and build confidence in the communities we collectively serve," said Acting U.S. Attorneys Johnson, Troester, and Wilson. "Together with the Attorney General’s Office, we are devoted to safeguarding Oklahomans, disrupting violent crime, and forging new pathways to address underlying issues that may trigger violent conduct throughout the State."

"My top priority as Attorney General is the safety of all Oklahomans," said Oklahoma Attorney General John O’Connor.  "The Project Safe Neighborhoods grants will allow our office, in partnership with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, to prevent and fight violent crime in our great state."

"Investing in our communities, supporting victims and building a justice system that both keeps people safe and earns their trust – these are mutually reinforcing goals that stand at the heart of Project Safe Neighborhoods," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon for OJP. "The Office of Justice Programs is pleased to join with our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, and with jurisdictions across the country, as we work together to meet the challenges of crime and violence and achieve our shared aspirations of public safety and community trust."

In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime issued by Deputy Attorney General Monaco, is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.

This fall, U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country have enhanced their violent crime reduction efforts to ensure alignment with the department’s comprehensive violent crime reduction strategy. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices have engaged in outreach to law enforcement and other agencies and organizations serving communities to identify the most significant drivers of violence in their districts. Working together with a broad coalition of stakeholders, the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices are addressing the most pressing violent crime issues in their district to make our neighborhoods safer for all.

PSN programs are led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in collaboration with local public safety agencies, community stakeholders and other agencies and organizations that work to reduce violent crime.

For a list of all grantees, please visit: https://www.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh241/files/media/document/FY21-Project-Safe-Neighborhoods-Awards.pdf.

OKLAHOMA CITY – RONALD J. MCCORD, 71, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced this morning to serve 104 months in prison for defrauding locally-based banks, Fannie Mae, homeowners, and others through a broad range of fraudulent conduct, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.  McCord was also ordered to pay $51,861,806.40 in restitution to the victims of his fraudulent schemes.

"This was a carefully calculated scheme by which the defendant defrauded local banks out of tens of millions of dollars, made false statements to a financial institution, diverted escrow monies intended to pay homeowners’ taxes and insurance premiums to cover his company's operating expenses, and then laundered the proceeds to fund his lavish lifestyle," said Acting U.S. Attorney Troester.  "This sentence should serve as notice that those who defraud financial institutions for personal gain will be held accountable."

On June 3, 2020, a grand jury returned a 24-count Indictment against McCord.  The charges included bank fraud, money laundering, and making a false statement to a financial institution.  McCord was the Chairman and founder of First Mortgage Company, LLC ("FMC"), an Oklahoma City-based mortgage lending and loan servicing company.  In May 2021, McCord pleaded guilty to five counts of that Indictment.  McCord admitted to defrauding Spirit Bank ("Spirit") and Citizens State Bank ("Citizens")—two state-chartered financial institutions—as well as their respective residential mortgage subsidiaries, American Southwest Mortgage Corporation ("Mortgage Corp.") and American Southwest Mortgage Funding Corporation ("Funding Corp.").  An independent audit discovered that McCord had sold more than $14,100,000.00 in Spirit/Mortgage Corp. and Citizens/Funding Corp. loans "out of trust" by failing to repay Spirit/Mortgage Corp. when certain Spirit/Mortgage Corp.-initiated loans were refinanced or otherwise paid off.  At the time of this discovery, FMC carried outstanding balances of about $200,000,000.00 and $140,000,000.00 on the Spirit/Mortgage Corp. and Citizens/Funding Corp. lines of credit, respectively.

Upon learning of McCord’s conduct, Spirit/Mortgage Corp. and Citizens/Funding Corp. terminated future warehouse lending to FMC, and instituted new notification requirements that required McCord to assign FMC-funded mortgages to Spirit/Mortgage Corp. and Citizens/Funding Corp., to ensure the title companies handling those mortgages sent payoffs directly to the banks.  McCord admitted at his change of plea hearing that he filed the assignments as required, but then caused the mortgages to be released on two properties—in Leland and Denver, North Carolina—after collecting the mortgage payoffs.

Spirit/Mortgage Corp. and Citizens/Funding Corp.’s refusal to fund new FMC mortgages prompted McCord to seek out a new warehouse lender.  In early 2017, McCord began negotiating with CapLOC, LLC, a North Carolina-based mortgage lending business, and offered to sell FMC’s mortgage lending business in exchange for quick funding from CapLOC.  McCord admitted that he made a materially false statement and representation to CapLOC in the course of those negotiations, in order to influence CapLOC’s actions.

Finally, in 2017, FMC serviced approximately 12,000 loans worth a total of approximately $1,800,000,000.00 for the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”).  McCord admitted at his plea hearing that he defrauded Fannie Mae by diverting escrow monies intended to pay homeowners’ taxes and insurance premiums to cover FMC’s operating expenses.  McCord also admitted that he then laundered the proceeds by causing a wire transfer from FMC’s operating account to a custom home builder, as payment towards construction of McCord’s vacation home in Colorado.

At today’s sentencing hearing, the Honorable Robin J. Cauthron found that McCord caused a total loss of more than $95,000,000.00 to local banks, other financial institutions, and borrower homeowners.  Judge Cauthron heard statements from representatives of three of those victims, as well as argument from both parties, before rendering the 104-month sentence.  The Court ordered McCord to self-surrender to the Federal Bureau of Prisons on January 6, 2022 to commence his term of imprisonment.  The Court also ordered McCord to serve three years of supervised release following his term of incarceration. 

This case was the result of investigations by the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of the Inspector General, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General, and the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia E. Barry prosecuted the case.

Reference is made to court filings for further information.

OKLAHOMA CITY – On Friday, November 19, 2021, a federal jury convicted BOBBY CHRIS MAYES, 49, CHARLES GOOCH, 63, and COURTNEY WELLS, 36, all residents of Norman, of multiple counts of wire fraud, conspiracy, issuing forged securities, and aggravated identity theft, announced Robert J. Troester, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.

On September 16, 2020, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging that from January 2014 to March 2019, Mayes, Gooch, and Wells used their positions as co-owners of the Big Red Dealerships (Big Red Sports/Imports, Big Red Kia, Norman Yamaha, Norman Mitsubishi, and Mayes Kia) to engage in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud in which they sought to obtain millions of dollars of loan proceeds. The indictment further alleged that the defendants made materially false statements and omissions to lenders about the type, source, and amount of borrowers’ down payments or vehicle trade-ins, and bribed at least one loan officer.

The trial began on November 2, 2021, before Senior United States District Judge Stephen P. Friot, and the federal jury returned its verdict on Friday, November 19, 2021.  At trial, the jury heard testimony that the Big Red Dealerships used advertisements to target potential customers with poor credit and that Mayes, Gooch, and Wells then fraudulently induced lenders to approve loans for such customers by documenting that the customers provided cash down payments and/or trade-in vehicles when that was untrue.  Twelve different Big Red Dealership customers testified about their experiences buying cars at the Big Red Dealerships, along with several former employees and representatives of several lenders.  In some circumstances, the purported cash down payment was simply fictitious, and the Big Red Dealerships referred to those cash down payments as “King Cash” on internal documents.  The jury also heard testimony that in late 2014, one lender discovered these fake cash down payments, and Mayes emailed threats to the CEO of that lender in an effort to stop the lender from further investigating the Big Red Dealerships.

Evidence at trial also showed that from February 2015 until late 2017, the Big Red Dealerships continued to document fictitious cash down payments for lenders.  During that time period, for at least 519 customers, the down payment was purportedly based on a pawned item provided to Norman Pawn & Gun, a pawn shop owned by Gooch and located in a building owned by Mayes, although it was never open for business and never had any employees.  After loan proceeds were received from lenders, Big Red Dealership employees generated checks to the customers, forged the customers’ signatures on the backs, deposited the checks in Big Red Dealership accounts, and fully reimbursed Norman Pawn & Gun for the purported down payments.  The jury also heard that the Big Red Dealerships falsely documented vehicle trade-ins for lenders to approve loans.  On at least 542 occasions, the vehicle was never provided to the Big Red Dealerships and a separate transaction was documented—unbeknownst to the lender—in which the trade-in vehicle was resold to the customer for a dollar.  Finally, the jury heard testimony that at least one lender approved questionable loans—for up to two to three times’ the value of vehicles being purchased—after a Big Red Dealership manager gave cash bribes to a loan officer and the Big Red Dealerships provided fake invoices to justify the inflated prices.

The jury convicted all three defendants of conspiring to commit wire fraud, alleged as Count 1 of the indictment. The jury convicted Mayes and Gooch with 12 counts of wire fraud based on false information sent to lenders for 12 specific customers, as alleged in Counts 2-13.  The jury convicted Wells of six of those counts of wire fraud.  For each conviction charged as Counts 1-13, each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine. 

The jury convicted all three defendants of six counts of uttering forged securities based on Norman Pawn & Gun checks forged by Big Red Dealership employees, as alleged in Counts 14-19 of the indictment.  For Counts 14-19, each defendant faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The jury convicted all three defendants of six counts of aggravated identity theft, as alleged in Counts 20-25 of the indictment, for using the signatures of six customers without lawful authority.  For Counts 20-25, each defendant faces a mandatory term of imprisonment of two years to run consecutive to any other term of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.  Sentencing will take place in approximately 90 days. 

This case is the result of an investigation by FBI’s Oklahoma City Field Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys K. McKenzie Anderson and Thomas Snyder are prosecuting the case.

Reference is made to court filings for further information.

OKLAHOMA CITY—A federal grand jury has returned a three-count indictment charging a former Kay County Oklahoma supervisory corrections officer with federal civil rights violations, announced Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Robert Troester of the Western District of Oklahoma.

The indictment alleges that on May 18, 2017, Matthew Ware, while acting in his official capacity as a supervisory corrections officer of the Kay County Detention Center (KCDC) in Newkirk, Oklahoma, was deliberately indifferent to a substantial risk of serious harm to two pretrial detainees, identified in the indictment only as D.W. and M.M.  According to the indictment, Ware ordered KCDC corrections officers to move D.W. and M.M. to a cell row housing inmates whom Ware knew posed a danger to D.W. and M.M., and then ordering corrections officers to unlock the jail cells of D.W., M.M., and those other inmates at the same time. Corrections officers followed Ware’s orders, and D.W. and M.M. were physically attacked by the other inmates. D.W. and M.M. sustained bodily injury as a result.

The indictment further alleges that on January 31, 2018, Ware, while acting in his official capacity as a supervisory corrections officer of the KCDC, violated the constitutional rights of a pretrial detainee, identified in the indictment only as C.D., by ordering KCDC corrections officers to apply restraints to C.D. in an unreasonable manner. C.D. sustained bodily injury as a result.

If convicted, Ware faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $ 250,000 on each count.

The case was investigated by the Oklahoma City FBI Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia Barry of the Western District of Oklahoma and Trial Attorney Laura Gilson of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

 

 

OKLAHOMA CITY — Today, GREG ALLEN HENKE, 41, of Oklahoma City, pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child and to possession of child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

On May 13, 2021, FBI agents arrested Henke in Oklahoma City after he met with an undercover agent to attempt to engage in sexual activities with children.  He has been in federal custody since his arrest.  Prior to his arrest, Henke was employed at Highland Park Elementary School in the Mid-Del school district.

On June 1, 2021, a federal grand jury returned an Indictment against Henke, charging him with attempted receipt of child pornography and attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.  That Indictment alleged that on or about May 10, 2021, Henke knowingly attempted to receive child pornography using a means and facility of interstate and foreign commerce.  The Indictment further alleged that, between April 1, 2021 and about May 13, 2021, Henke used a cell phone and the internet to attempt to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a minor to engage in sexual activity.

On September 7, 2021, a federal grand jury returned a Superseding Indictment against Henke.  The Superseding Indictment added to the original Indictment one charge of possession of material containing child pornography and two charges of production of child pornography.  Specifically, the Superseding Indictment alleges that between 2019 and 2021, Henke used two minor students at Highland Park Elementary School to engage in sexually explicit conduct.  The Superseding Indictment alleged that Henke used his cell phone to capture the sexually explicit conduct.

At a plea hearing today, Henke pleaded guilty to one count of producing child pornography using a student, while he was a paraprofessional at Highland Park Elementary School.  Henke also pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography on several electronic devices.  As part of a plea agreement, the United States agreed to dismiss at sentencing the remaining charges. 

At sentencing, which is anticipated to take place in about 90 days, Henke faces a maximum penalty of 50 years in federal prison, in addition to a term of supervised release for not less than five years and up to life.  The plea of guilty to producing child pornography carries a mandatory minimum term of 15 years in federal prison.  

This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Oklahoma City Field Division.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Bow Bottomly is prosecuting the case.

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

Reference is made to public records for more information.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, DAVID ASHARD SAMILTON, 28, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 120 months in federal prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.  Federal law prohibits convicted felons from possessing firearms or ammunition.

On November 2, 2020, a federal grand jury returned a one-count Indictment that alleged Samilton illegally possessed a firearm.  On May 27, 2021, a federal jury found Samilton guilty of the firearms charge.  At trial, the jury heard testimony that, on September 13, 2020, the Oklahoma City Police Department was dispatched to a hotel in south Oklahoma City.  A hotel employee reported seeing Samilton in a vehicle and in possession of a firearm.  Law enforcement searched the vehicle Samilton occupied and located a semi-automatic 9mm caliber pistol underneath his car seat.

Public records reflect that, before September 2020, Samilton had felony convictions for drug dealing, drug possession, larceny of a motor vehicle, discharging a firearm into a dwelling, and illegal firearm possession.

Today, Senior U.S. District Judge Stephen P. Friot sentenced Samilton to serve 120 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.  In announcing the sentence, Judge Friot noted the nature and circumstances of the offense and Samilton’s criminal history.

This case is the result of investigations by the Oklahoma City Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  Assistant United States Attorneys Ashley Altshuler and Bow Bottomly prosecuted the case.  The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses on the most violent offenders and partners with local prevention and re-entry programs for lasting reductions in crime.  For more information, visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.

Reference is made to public filings for more information.

OKLAHOMA CITY – On October 22, 2021, a federal jury in Oklahoma City convicted Christina Rochelle Anglin, aka Christy Anglin, of Burnsville, North Carolina,  of employment tax fraud, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Anglin was the Controller and Chief Financial Officer for Atmospheric Technology Services Company (ATSC) located in Norman, Oklahoma. In that role, Anglin was responsible for withholding from employee wages and paying to the IRS payroll taxes, which included Social Security and Medicare taxes and federal income taxes. From the first quarter through the third quarter of 2018, Anglin did not pay to the IRS nearly $920,000 in payroll taxes, which had been withheld from employees. At the same time these taxes were not paid, Anglin approved thousands of dollars of business expenditures, including salary and bonuses for herself and other executives.

At sentencing, Anglin faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count of employment tax fraud plus payment of restitution to the IRS. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), U.S. General Services Administration-Office of Inspector General (GSA-OIG), FBI, Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), Army Criminal Investigations Division (ARMY-CID), and the Small Business Administration-Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG).

Assistant U.S. Attorney William Farrior of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma and Trial Attorney Ahmed Almudallal of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case. 

A Department of Justice national press release can be found at https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/chief-financial-officer-oklahoma-business-found-guilty-employment-tax-fraud.

 

OKLAHOMA CITY – As part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester highlights the success of "Operation 922," which specifically targets domestic violence abusers for federal prosecution in western Oklahoma. Operation 922 was initiated by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma in March of 2018 as part of the Justice Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative.  Through Operation 922, state and tribal police departments and District Attorneys throughout the Western District of Oklahoma have direct access to federal prosecutors who review domestic violence-related cases for those that warrant federal prosecution.  

"We cannot have safe neighborhoods without first having safe homes," said Acting U.S. Attorney Troester.  "By bringing the power of federal prosecution to hold domestic abusers accountable, particularly when that abuser is in possession of a firearm, we are saving the lives of the women and children who are victims of the abuse, and the police officers who respond to domestic calls.  We are proud to partner with the police officers, prosecutors, and non-profit entities working each day to combat the epidemic of domestic violence in Oklahoma." 

"Palomar is proud to partner with the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Operation 922," said Palomar CEO and Founder Kim Garrett.  "This innovative and coordinated partnership says to survivors, 'you have the full weight of the OKC metro behind you.'  For the offenders out there, our holistic approach means that you have the full weight of the OKC metro seeking to ensure you’re held accountable, and you don’t hurt anyone else."

"ATF is committed to fighting all violent crime in Oklahoma.  At the forefront of violent crime is domestic violence. Firearms, violence, and the home are ingredients for tragedy.  Together with our partners, ATF will do everything we can to stop the cycle of domestic abuse," said ATF Dallas Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II.

Oklahoma City Police Chief Wade Gourley said, "The Oklahoma City Police Department is grateful for our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, that helps us hold domestic abusers accountable for their actions. We all have the same goal of combating domestic violence. Operation 922 helps us do just that by being able to federally prosecute those abusers."

The Problem

Domestic violence is not limited to specific geographic areas but exists in all neighborhoods (wealthy and poor) and in all communities (metropolitan and rural). When the most violent members of any community use firearms during acts of domestic violence, the odds that the abuse victims and responding officers could be injured or killed increase tremendously.

The Operation 922 Strategy

The Operation 922 strategy brings law enforcement and prosecutors together with common purpose and clear direction – uniting resources for the purpose of holding domestic abusers accountable.  As part of this strategy, Operation 922 prioritizes prosecutions of federal firearms offenses that arise in domestic violence settings.  In other words, when police officers respond to domestic violence calls, state and federal prosecutors work closely with investigating officers to determine whether firearms charges or other federal charges are applicable to the offenses committed.  Common federal charges include illegal possession of a firearm or ammunition by a person (1) previously convicted of a felony offense, (2) previously convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, or (3) subject to an active Victim Protective Order.  Prosecutors have also charged domestic abusers with several other federal offenses applicable to persons prohibited from carrying firearms, including possession of a firearm by a person under indictment, drug user in possession of a firearm, and making false statements to federally licensed firearms dealers to buy a firearm.

Given the focus on the violent propensity of the abuser, federal prosecutors often seek the defendant’s pre-trial detention after arrest, in part to limit the abuser’s ability to return to the home and exert control and intimidation over victim(s) while trial is pending.  The objective of Operation 922 is to stop repeated violence by domestic abusers through enforcement of federal law in domestic violence-derived cases.  In addition, both federal and state prevention and re-entry programs can be utilized for lasting reductions in crime.

The Partnerships

Operation 922 is a collaboration of law enforcement and prosecutor partners that include the United States Attorney’s Office, Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Marshals Service, Oklahoma City Police Department, Midwest City Police Department, Del City Police Department, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office, and other state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies in the Western District of Oklahoma. Operation 922 continues to expand to other communities in western Oklahoma, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office conducts regular training sessions to inform local law enforcement on elements of federal offenses. 

From the beginning, Operation 922 has maintained a pivotal partnership with Palomar, Oklahoma City’s Family Justice Center.  Palomar brings together multi-disciplinary resources under one roof to meet the specific and multiple areas of need experienced by the victims of domestic abuse. 

Recently, the Operation 922 collaboration has expanded to include the District Attorney’s Office for District 4 (Blaine, Canadian, Garfield, Grant, and Kingfisher Counties), Canadian County Sheriff’s Office, El Reno Police Department, Yukon Police Department, and Cardinal Point, the new Family Justice Center in El Reno.

The Success and Examples

Since March of 2018, Operation 922 has resulted in federal charges for 167 separate individuals, in domestic violence-derived cases, committed in 20 different counties in the Western District of Oklahoma. Of those, 153 have already been convicted or have pled guilty, with the remaining cases still pending.  At this time, 122 defendants have been sentenced by federal judges to serve, on average, nearly 75 months in federal prison. Of the 167 defendants charged, 33% are known gang members.  From these defendants, a total of 236 firearms and 3,566 rounds of ammunition have been seized.

The following press releases over the past three years are examples that demonstrate the violent conduct of the abusers and the breadth of Operation 922’s impact:

1. "Operation 922" Results in Four Federal Indictments Related to Domestic Violence - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/operation-922-results-four-federal-indictments-related-domestic-violence (December 20, 2018)

1. Jury Returns Carjacking Conviction / Carjacking Conviction Results in Forty Years in Prison - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/jury-returns-carjacking-conviction (September 2, 2018); https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/carjacking-conviction-results-forty-years-prison (April 23, 2019)

1. Four Defendants Sentenced to 188 Months in Federal Prison in Separate Domestic Violence Related Cases - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/operation-922  (May 31, 2019)

1. Seiling Man Sentenced to Five Years for Domestic Violence in Indian Country - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/seiling-man-sentenced-five-years-domestic-violence-indian-country (September 20, 2019)

1. Juries Return Convictions in Two Separate “Operation 922” Domestic-Violence Gun Trials - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/juries-return-convictions-two-separate-operation-922-domestic-violence-gun-trials (October 11, 2019)

1. Firearm Violation Results in Prison Sentence of More Than Nine Years - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/firearm-violation-results-prison-sentence-more-nine-years-0 (December 9, 2019)

1. Domestic Altercation Involving Firearm Leads to Ten-Year Sentence - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/domestic-altercation-involving-firearm-leads-ten-year-sentence (December 18, 2019)

1. Oklahoma City Man to Serve 108 Months for Possessing a Firearm After a Prior Felony Conviction - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/oklahoma-city-man-serve-108-months-possessing-firearm-after-prior-felony-conviction (March 18, 2020)

1. Convicted Felon Sentenced to a Decade in Prison for Firearm Possession Discovered Following a Domestic Violence Call - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/convicted-felon-sentenced-decade-prison-firearm-possession-discovered-following (April 30, 2020)

1. Felon Sentenced to More Than a Decade in Federal Prison for Dealing Heroin While Discharging a Firearm - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/felon-sentenced-more-decade-federal-prison-dealing-heroin-while-discharging-firearm (July 23, 2020)

1. Lawton Man Sentenced to Serve a Decade in Federal Prison for Shooting During Road Rage Incident - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/lawton-man-sentenced-serve-decade-federal-prison-shooting-during-road-rage-incident (October 30, 2020)

1. Oklahoma City Attorney Sentenced to Serve 24 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm While Subject to Victim Protective Order - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/oklahoma-city-attorney-sentenced-serve-24-months-federal-prison-possessing-firearm (March 23, 2021)

1. Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to Serve 36 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm While Using Illegal Substance - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/oklahoma-city-man-sentenced-serve-36-months-federal-prison-possessing-firearm-while (April 2, 2021)

1. Five Additional Defendants Charged as Part of “Operation 922” - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/third-anniversary-operation-922-sees-149-defendants-charged-federal-crimes-domestic (April 9, 2021)

1. Federal Jury Convicts Oklahoma City Man for Possession of Ammunition and Witness Tampering - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/federal-jury-convicts-oklahoma-city-man-possession-ammunition-and-witness-tampering (May 4, 2021)

1. Shawnee Man Sentenced to Serve 78 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of Ammunition After Being Convicted of Felonies - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/shawnee-man-sentenced-serve-78-months-federal-prison-illegal-possession-ammunition (May 19, 2021)

1. Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to Serve Ten Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm After Being Convicted of Felonies - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/oklahoma-city-man-sentenced-serve-ten-years-federal-prison-illegal-possession-firearm (May 27, 2021)

1. Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to Serve More Than Six Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/oklahoma-city-man-sentenced-serve-more-six-years-federal-prison-illegal-possession (June 30, 2021)

1. Wellston Man Pleads Guilty to Lying on a Federal ATF Record to Purchase a Firearm from Licensed Gun Dealer -https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/wellston-man-pleads-guilty-lying-federal-atf-record-purchase-firearm-licensed-gun (July 8, 2021)

1. Convicted Felon Sentenced to Serve Twelve Years in Federal Prison for Drug Dealing and Firearm Possession - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/convicted-felon-sentenced-serve-twelve-years-federal-prison-drug-dealing-and-firearm (July 17, 2021)

1. Former Collegiate Wrestler Sentenced to Serve 36 Months in Federal Prison for Firearm Offense - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/former-collegiate-wrestler-sentenced-serve-36-months-federal-prison-firearm-offense (July 27, 2021)

1. Federal Jury Convicts Oklahoma City Man of Illegal Possession of Firearm after Previous Domestic Abuse Convictions - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/federal-jury-convicts-oklahoma-city-man-illegal-possession-firearm-after-previous (August 13, 2021)

1. Domestic Abuse Call Results in Six-Year Prison Sentence for Oklahoma City Man Found in Illegal Possession of Ammunition After Previous Felony Convictions - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/domestic-abuse-call-results-six-year-prison-sentence-oklahoma-city-man-found-illegal (August 18, 2021)

1. Domestic Disturbance Call Results in Oklahoma City Man Being Sentenced to Serve More Than 15 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of Firearms - https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/domestic-disturbance-call-results-oklahoma-city-man-being-sentenced-serve-more-15-years (September 2, 2021)

          For more information about Operation 922, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (405) 553-8999.

 

OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, KEENO KJUAN GULLEY, 38, of Oklahoma City, was arraigned on federal charges of drug dealing and possessing ammunition after he had sustained a prior felony conviction, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.  Federal law prohibits convicted felons from possessing ammunition or firearms.

On August 17, 2021, public records reflect that Gulley was charged by criminal complaint.  According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, on July 12, 2021, home security camera footage depicts an individual alleged to be Mr. Gulley firing a handgun towards a vehicle traveling down the road.  The individual ran away after firing multiple rounds toward the vehicle.  Oklahoma City Police Officers located multiple spent 9mm cartridge casings at the scene of the shooting.  Further investigation led officers, on July 14, 2021, to find a package of pills at a residence associated with Mr. Gulley.  The pills tested positive for methamphetamine.

On September 22, 2021, an Indictment returned by a federal grand jury charged Gulley with possession of ammunition after a prior felony conviction and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  The Indictment alleges that on or about July 12, 2021, Gulley knowingly possessed five rounds of 9mm caliber cartridges after he had been previously convicted of crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year.  The Indictment further alleges that on or about July 14, 2021, Gulley knowingly possessed with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  Gulley has been ordered detained in federal custody since September 3, 2021.

This case is the result of investigations by the Oklahoma City Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the United States Marshals Service.  Assistant United States Attorneys Wilson D. McGarry and Danielle Connolly are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of "SHOTS FIRED," the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.  "SHOTS FIRED" prioritizes the federal prosecution of gun crimes connected to shootings.

The public is reminded that these charges are merely allegations and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.  Reference is made to public records for more information.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, JAMES LOVE, 52, of Oklahoma City, pleaded guilty to a single-count felony Information charging him with Tampering with a Monitoring Device and Method Required to be Maintained Under the Clean Air Act, announced Robert J. Troester, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.

"By causing the removal of pollution control devices, Love caused diesel trucks to spew pollutants into the air at a rate of up to 300 times caused by normal operating vehicles," said Acting U.S. Attorney Troester.  "This conduct increased toxins in our environment linked to cancer and pulmonary, neurological, cardiovascular, and immune system damage.  To engage in this conduct for financial gain will not be tolerated."

"Today, the defendant pled guilty to tampering with diesel truck monitoring systems required under the Clean Air Act" said Special Agent in Charge Christopher R. Brooks of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division in Texas. "He knowingly directed others to reprogram the trucks’ Onboard Diagnostic (OBD) systems to prevent the detection of alterations to the emission controls, thereby exposing the public to significant levels of air pollution."

Public records reflect that, on September 20, 2021, Love was charged by Information with violating the Clean Air Act.  The Clean Air Act was enacted by Congress to protect and enhance the quality of the Nation’s air resources to promote the public health and welfare and the productive capacity of its population.  In enacting the Clean Air Act, Congress found that the increasing use of motor vehicles has resulted in mounting dangers to the public health and welfare.  The Clean Air Act protects the Nation’s air quality by, among other things, reducing vehicle emissions that pollute the air with toxins such as nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, hydrocarbons, and carbon monoxide.  The Clean Air Act limits the emission of air pollutants from various classes of motor vehicle engines, including heavy-duty diesel engines.

Public records further reflect that Love owned and operated Southwest Diesel Service, a heavy-duty diesel engine full-service garage located in Oklahoma City.  Love admitted that between February 2015 and April 2019, he directed his employees to modify the emissions control systems on heavy-duty diesel trucks.  Specifically, Love directed these employees to alter the emissions control components, including removing the diesel particulate filters (DPFs) and plating the exhaust gas recirculation systems (EGRs).   He then instructed others to reprogram the vehicles’ on-board computers so that the emissions control systems’ sensors failed to detect the alterations.  These modifications prevented the trucks from accurately recording the pollutants they discharged into the atmosphere. They also ensured that the trucks continued to travel on public roads despite operating illegally.

At sentencing, Love faces up to two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  A sentencing hearing will occur in approximately 90 days.

The investigation was conducted by the Oklahoma Environmental Crimes Task Force to include the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division and the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality’s Criminal Investigation Unit.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Brown. 

Reference is made to the court filings for further information. 

OKLAHOMA CITY – Earlier this week, GERMAINE COULTER, SR., 48, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 30 years in federal prison for child sex trafficking and conspiracy to commit child sex trafficking, announced Robert J. Troester, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.  Elizabeth Andrade, 39, of Edmond, was previously sentenced to serve 78 months in federal prison for her role in the sex trafficking conspiracy. 

"In addition to recruiting young girls to exploit them to engage in commercial sex work, the defendants coached the girls on how to perform sex acts and made threats of violence to control them," said Acting U.S. Attorney Troester.  "It is impossible to restore the innocence that was so callously stolen away from these young and vulnerable victims.  Our hope is that this 30-year prison sentence will ensure that Mr. Coulter will never be able to exploit another child and will bring some solace to the victims in their recovery.  I commend the FBI and Oklahoma City Police Department who diligently investigated this case, the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office who provided valuable assistance, and the prosecutors who held these defendants accountable."

"Crimes against children are some of the most reprehensible acts that law enforcement is determined to prevent and punish once they occur. The FBI and our law enforcement partners work together to identify and rescue victims as well as bring their exploiters to justice," said Melissa Godbold, FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Oklahoma City Field Office. "It is because of this partnership that Mr. Coulter is now facing a lengthy sentence for his crimes. Today’s sentence takes a dangerous man off the street, and will hopefully bring a measure of closure and comfort to those he victimized."

On November 13, 2018, a grand jury returned a three-count superseding indictment against Coulter, a/k/a "Slim."  Count One charged him with a child-sex-trafficking conspiracy in which he recruited and attempted to recruit three girls—aged 15 and 17—to provide them to men for commercial sex.  Counts Two and Three charged him with substantive offenses of trafficking girls identified as Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 3.

At a jury trial in July 2019, a federal jury heard testimony that in January and February 2018, Coulter recruited three girls under 18 to perform commercial sex work.  Coulter told one girl she needed to make $1,000 per day, all of which would go to him, and, if she was successful, he would buy her a car, get her an apartment, and get her business cards after she turned 18.  He directed his victims to call him “Daddy.”  The jury also heard evidence that Coulter used violence and direct and indirect threats of violence to control the girls.  Working with co-conspirator Elizabeth Andrade, he sent photos of one underage girl to prospective customers.  The jury heard that Andrade began taking one of the girls with her on commercial sex appointments, where the girl performed sex acts for money.  Between January 27, 2018, and February 19, 2018, Coulter and Andrade trained and directed the girl how to interact and perform sex acts with customers and how to convince her mother to let her stay with them.  The jury convicted Coulter on Counts One and Two.  It was unable to reach a unanimous verdict on Count Three.

In July 2018, Andrade, a/k/a "Beth," "Bobbi Monroe," "Tiffany," and "Porsche," pleaded guilty to a one-count superseding information that charged conspiracy to commit child sex trafficking.  In December 2019, Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy D. DeGiusti sentenced Andrade to serve 78 months in federal prison for her role in the conspiracy.

On September 28, 2021, Judge DeGiusti sentenced Coulter to serve 30 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release on each count of conviction.  The sentence consists of 360 months as to Count 1 and 360 months as to Count 2, to be served concurrently.  In imposing the sentence, Judge DeGiusti noted that nature and circumstances of the sex trafficking conspiracy, the need to adequately deter related conduct, and the need to protect the public from further crimes of Coulter.  Coulter has been in custody since March 8, 2018. 

This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Oklahoma City Field Office and the Oklahoma City Police Department, with assistance from the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys K. McKenzie Anderson and Jessica Perry are prosecuting the case.

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

Reference is made to court filings for further information.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, ANTHONY RAY JONES, 55, of Midwest City, pleaded guilty to receiving approximately $55,210.50 in stolen money from the federal government through falsified travel claims, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. 

On May 4, 2021, a federal grand jury returned a one-count Indictment against Jones.  The Indictment charged that between May 4, 2016 and August 22, 2019, Jones knowingly received stolen money belonging to the United States.

At yesterday’s hearing, Jones pleaded guilty.  Public records reflect that Jones had been employed with the Department of the Air Force.  During his employment, Jones sustained injuries and applied for and received worker’s compensation money under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act.  As part of his compensation, Jones was able to be reimbursed for travel expenses to and from medical appointments related to his injuries.  From May 4, 2016, through August 22, 2019, Jones filed hundreds of false travel claims for medical appointments and was reimbursed approximately $55,210.50 resulting from those false travel claims.  At his plea hearing, Jones admitted that he intended to keep the money and that he knew the money was stolen.  At sentencing, he faces up to ten years in prison, a $250,000 fine, mandatory restitution, and up to three years of supervised release.

This case is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bow Bottomly.

Reference is made to court filings for further information.

OKLAHOMA CITY — Yesterday, GREG ALLEN HENKE, 40, of Oklahoma City, was charged with possession of child pornography, attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, and sexual exploitation of children, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

On May 13, 2021, FBI agents arrested Henke in Oklahoma City after he met with an undercover agent to attempt to engage in sexual activities with children.  He has been in federal custody since his arrest.  Prior to his arrest, Henke was employed at Highland Park Elementary School in the Mid-Del school district.

On June 1, 2021, a federal grand jury returned an Indictment against Henke, charging him with attempted receipt of child pornography and attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.  That Indictment alleged that on or about May 10, 2021, Henke knowingly attempted to receive child pornography using a means and facility of interstate and foreign commerce.  The Indictment further alleged that, between April 1, 2021 and about May 13, 2021, Henke used a cell phone and the internet to attempt to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a minor to engage in sexual activity.

Yesterday, a federal grand jury returned a Superseding Indictment against Henke.  The Superseding Indictment added one charge of possession of material containing child pornography and two charges of production of child pornography to the charges of the original Indictment.  Specifically, the Superseding Indictment alleges that between 2019 and 2021, Henke used two minor students at Highland Park Elementary School to engage in sexually explicit conduct.  It is alleged that Henke used his cell phone to capture the sexually explicit conduct.

The FBI is seeking to identify potential additional victims.  Anyone with additional information to report can call the FBI at (405) 290-7770.

This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Oklahoma City Field Division.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Bow Bottomly is prosecuting the case.

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

The public is reminded that these charges are merely allegations and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.  Reference is made to public records for more information.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, CORNELL WINSOR PITTS-GREEN, 41, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve more than 15 years in federal prison for being a convicted felon in illegal possession of firearms, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

On July 7, 2020, a federal grand jury returned a one-count Indictment against Pitts-Green, charging him with being a convicted felon in illegal possession of firearms.  On October 2, 2020, Pitts-Green pleaded guilty to the Indictment.

Public records reflect that, on March 8, 2020, Oklahoma City Police officers were dispatched to a church in Oklahoma City in regards to a domestic disturbance.  A church member reported that a female had ran to the church and told members of the church that her boyfriend had harmed her.  The church members shielded the female from Pitts-Green when he came to the church to find her.  Based on the female’s statements, law enforcement discovered a .22 caliber revolver and a .380 auto caliber semi-automatic pistol in Pitts-Green’s residence. 

Federal law prohibits prior convicted felons from possessing firearms or ammunition.  Prior to his arrest, Pitts-Green had been convicted of several felonies out of Garfield and Payne Counties, including Assault and Battery, Domestic Assault and Battery by Strangulation, and Unlawful Possession of Controlled Drugs with Intent to Distribute. 

Today, U.S. District Chief Judge Timothy D. DeGiusti sentenced Pitts-Green to serve 188 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.  In announcing the sentence, Chief Judge DeGiusti noted the nature and circumstances of the offense, including Pitts-Green’s criminal history.  Pitts-Green has pending charges in a connected case in Oklahoma County including Domestic Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon, Kidnapping, and Domestic Assault and Battery by Strangulation.

This case is the result of investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Oklahoma City Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Bow Bottomly prosecuted the case.

This case is part of "Operation 922," the Western District of Oklahoma’s local implementation of the national Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.  "Operation 922" prioritizes prosecution of federal gun crimes connected to domestic violence.

Reference is made to public filings for more information.

 

OKLAHOMA CITY - Today, DESMA VALDEZ, 20, of Lincoln County, was sentenced to more than 21 years in federal prison for second-degree murder in connection with a house fire in Indian Country, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

On January 21, 2020, a federal grand jury returned a six-count Indictment charging Valdez with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, arson, and using fire and explosives to commit a felony.  On March 10, 2021, Valdez pleaded guilty to the two counts of second-degree murder. 

The case stemmed from a fire on December 28, 2019, at a trailer home on tribal land of the Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma.  Public records reflect that Valdez deliberately set fire to the trailer home in which her sister and her sister’s boyfriend slept.  Both victims died in the fire.  The case was charged in federal court because the crime took place in Indian Country and Valdez is an Indian.

Today, U.S. District Judge Bernard M. Jones sentenced Valdez to serve 262 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.  In imposing the sentence, Judge Jones noted the seriousness of the offense, including the impact to both the victims and the families of the victims.  Valdez has been in federal custody since her arrest on January 1, 2020. 

This case is a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Oklahoma City Field Division, the Kickapoo Tribal Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Stoneman and Thomas B. Snyder prosecuted the case.

Reference is made to public filings for more information.

OKLAHOMA CITY — An Oklahoma City man has been arrested and charged with attempted receipt of child pornography and attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.  GREG ALLEN HENKE, 40, was charged by criminal complaint on May 14, 2021, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.  He was arrested and has been ordered detained in federal custody since May 14, 2021.

On June 1, 2021, an Indictment returned by a federal grand jury charged Mr. Henke with attempted receipt of child pornography and attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.  The Indictment alleges that on or about May 10, 2021, Mr. Henke knowingly attempted to receive child pornography using a means and facility of interstate and foreign commerce.  The Indictment further alleges that, between April 1, 2021, and on or about May 13, 2021, Mr. Henke using a cell phone and the internet, knowingly attempted to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a minor to engage in sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense.

The FBI is seeking to identify potential additional victims.  Anyone with additional information to report about Greg Allen Henke can call the FBI at (405) 290-7770.

This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Oklahoma City Field Division.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Bow Bottomly is prosecuting the case.

The public is reminded that these charges are merely allegations and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.  Reference is made to public records for more information.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, DANIEL DEWAYNE COWNS, 46, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve more than 21 years in federal prison for his involvement in fentanyl distribution and his possession of seven firearms—including several assault weapons—following multiple felony convictions, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. 

On June 4, 2020, a federal grand jury returned a five-count Indictment charging Cowns with multiple drug and weapons offenses, including possession of more than 400 grams of fentanyl with intent to distribute and illegal possession of firearms by a convicted felon.  The charges stemmed from a search warrant executed on Cowns’ residence by Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics agents.  The search resulted in the seizure of almost two pounds of a mixture containing fentanyl, smaller amounts of methamphetamine, nearly $26,000 in cash, and seven firearms—ranging from revolvers to large caliber rifles with extended magazines.

On January 12, 2021, Cowns pleaded guilty to Counts 1 and 4 of the Indictment, charging him with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of firearms, respectively.

On August 19, 2021, U.S. District Judge Scott L. Palk sentenced Cowns to serve 262 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.  In imposing the sentence, Judge Palk noted the seriousness of the offense, including the dangerousness of fentanyl and the fact that Cowns was keeping these drugs and guns in a house with three minor children.  Judge Palk also highlighted Cowns’ significant criminal history, which included multiple felony convictions, when explaining the sentence.

“The callous disregard by Cowns in keeping dangerous and deadly fentanyl, methamphetamine, and firearms around minor children is appalling,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Troester.  "We are pleased that Judge Palk took this conduct into consideration in imposing such a stiff sentence.  Special thanks to the OBN and ATF agents who worked this case."

This case was the result of a coordinated investigation led by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives.  It is also a part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David McCrary prosecuted the case.

 

OKLAHOMA CITY – Last week, a federal jury convicted LAWRENCE JUNIOR LOFTIS, 65, of Stephens County, of abusive sexual contact with a child under 12 years old, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

On April 20, 2021, a federal grand jury returned a three-count Indictment against Loftis, charging him with aggravated sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact with a child under 12 years old.

On August 13, 2021, after a four-day trial, a federal jury found Loftis guilty of abusive sexual contact with a child under 12 years old.  Evidence at trial showed that, between early 2018 and late 2019, Loftis knowingly engaged in and caused sexual contact with a child, who was then eight to ten years old.  The jury heard testimony from witnesses who had helped bring the sexual abuse to light, from the child victim, and from the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office investigator who interviewed Loftis.  Finally, the jury heard the testimony of another victim who had been sexually abused by Loftis for many years when that person was a child.  The jury did not reach a verdict on the two counts charging Loftis with aggravated sexual abuse of a child.

At sentencing, Loftis faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison, restitution to the child victim, and a fine of up to $5,000.  Loftis is in federal custody pending sentencing, which is expected in approximately 90 days.

Federal jurisdiction existed in this case because the crime was committed in Indian Country and Loftis was Native American.

This case is the result of investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Oklahoma City Field Division and the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bow Bottomly and Brandon Hale prosecuted the case. 

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Reference is made to court filings for further information.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, CARL RAMON BROWN, II, 46, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve six years in federal prison for illegal possession of ammunition after previously being convicted of a felony, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

On March 2, 2021, a federal grand jury returned a one-count Indictment that charged Brown with illegal possession of ammunition.   Federal law prohibits a person who has previously been convicted of felony from possessing a firearm or ammunition.  On March 31, 2021, Brown pleaded guilty to the Indictment.  

Public records reflect that, on February 22, 2020, Oklahoma City Police officers responded to a priority domestic call involving Brown.  Upon arriving at the scene, the officers discovered Brown was in possession of a firearm and threatened to shoot his girlfriend.  These threats were made in the presence of his girlfriend’s mother and minor children.  Officers located Brown nearby.  Brown admitted to officers that he gave his firearm to a third party prior to their arrival.  Officers located nine rounds of ammunition on his person, leading to Brown’s arrest.  Before possessing the ammunition, Brown had been convicted of multiple felonies in Oklahoma County, including armed robbery, assault and battery on a police officer, and carrying a firearm during parole. 

On August 16, 2021, U.S. District Judge Bernard M. Jones sentenced Brown to serve 72 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.  In support of this sentence, Judge Jones cited the nature of the crime and Brown’s previous criminal history.

This case is the result of investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Oklahoma City Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary E. Walters prosecuted the case.

This case is part of "Operation 922," the Western District of Oklahoma’s local implementation of the national Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.  "Operation 922" prioritizes prosecution of federal gun crimes connected to domestic violence.

Reference is made to public filings for more information.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, VICTOR NGO, 33, of Oklahoma City, and FRIENDLY MANAGEMENT GROUP, LLC (FMG), an Oklahoma business, pleaded guilty in connection with a scheme to open a bank account under false pretenses to launder proceeds from marijuana sales, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

On August 2, 2021, the United States charged Ngo by Information with one count of making a false statement to a bank and FMG with one count of structured money laundering. 

According to the Information, between May 29, 2019, and January 22, 2020, Ngo operated Cannabless, a leading medical marijuana company in Oklahoma.  At the time, Cannabless was not in full compliance with Oklahoma’s medical marijuana laws.  

Due to federal law, many banks in the United States are unwilling to accept deposits from the proceeds of marijuana sales.  The Information alleges that Ngo used FMG to open a bank account by falsely stating that FMG was a wellness and fitness company, when in fact FMG engaged in a marijuana-related business.  Based on this false statement, the bank opened an account it otherwise would have not opened.  The Information alleges this fraudulent conduct allowed Ngo and FMG to illegally access the banking system and deposit proceeds generated by Cannabless’s sale of marijuana. 

The Information further alleges that Ngo made cash deposits on nearly a daily basis, breaking up or structuring the transactions to amounts below $10,000 to avoid triggering the bank’s transaction reporting obligations under federal law.  According to the Information, FMG laundered more than $770,000 in marijuana proceeds through the bank account during the scheme. 

Today, Ngo pleaded guilty to making a false statement to a bank.  As part of his plea, Ngo agreed to forfeit $621,570.00.  At sentencing, Ngo faces up to 30 years and a potential fine of $1,000,000.00.  FMG pleaded guilty to structured money laundering.  As part of its plea, FMG admitted to laundering more than $770,000.  At sentencing, FMG faces a potential fine of $770,000, or an amount equal to the value of the funds involved in the money laundering transactions.

This case is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Marshal’s Service, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Wilson D. McGarry prosecuted the case.

Reference is made to court filings for more information.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Earlier this week, a federal jury convicted TRACI ASHFORD, 34, of Oklahoma City, of possessing a firearm after a prior felony conviction of domestic assault and battery, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

On February 19, 2021, a federal grand jury returned a single-count Indictment against Ashford, charging him and a co-defendant with possessing a firearm after a former felony conviction.  Federal law prohibits a person who has previously been convicted of felony from possessing a firearm.

On August 11, 2021, after a two-day trial, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict against Ashford.  Evidence at trial showed that, on October 6, 2020, Ashford engaged in an altercation with his girlfriend, which resulted in Ashford brandishing an AK-47 style rifle.  Soon after the altercation, Ashford was stopped by Oklahoma City Police Department officers who located the rifle in the backseat of the car Ashford was driving.  Prior to being found in possession of the firearm, Ashford had been convicted of a felony domestic assault and battery in Oklahoma County, as well as domestic battery in Jefferson County, Arkansas.

Ashford’s co-defendant, DARIUS HEAD, 25, of Oklahoma City, pled guilty to the Indictment on June 3, 2021.          

At sentencing, Ashford and Head each face up to ten years in federal prison, followed by up to three years of supervised release, in addition to a fine of up to $250,000.  Both continue to be detained pending sentencing.

This case is the result of investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Oklahoma City Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacquelyn Hutzell and Travis Leverett prosecuted the case.

This case is part of "Operation 922," the Western District’s local implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods and Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s initiatives to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.  "Operation 922" prioritizes firearms prosecutions connected to domestic violence, including domestic violence abusers who possess a firearm and are subject to a victim protective order or have been previously convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

Reference is made to court filings for further information.

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma have reached a $1.25 million agreement with defendants Rosemarie Pelfrey, Omega Enterprises LLC and Pelfrey Investment Company Inc. to resolve a Fair Housing Act lawsuit alleging that their agent, Walter Ray Pelfrey (Pelfrey), sexually harassed female tenants and prospective tenants while owning or managing dozens of Oklahoma City – area rental properties. Pelfrey died in 2018.

Under the terms of the consent order, which was approved this week by the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, the defendants will pay $1.2 million in damages to female tenants and prospective tenants harmed by Pelfrey’s harassment and a $50,000 civil penalty to the United States.

"This settlement, which came after protracted litigation, sends a clear message that the Justice Department will not tolerate sexual harassment," said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division. "No one should ever have to endure what the women in this case were subjected to."

"For nearly 20 years, more than 40 female tenants and prospective tenants endured abhorrent sexual harassment when all they wanted was a safe place to call home," said Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma. "Tenants have the right under federal fair housing laws to be free from unwanted sexual harassment in order to obtain or maintain housing. The magnitude of this settlement and consent order demonstrates that the Justice Department will neither tolerate this type of discrimination from abusers nor ignore the vulnerable victims who suffer this abuse."

The United States’ lawsuit alleged that Pelfrey’s harassment spanned a period of almost 20 years, through at least 2017, and included demanding that prospective tenants engage in sexual acts to obtain housing, offering to reduce rent and overlooking unpaid rent in exchange for sexual intercourse or contact, evicting and threatening to evict female tenants for refusing his sexual advances, groping and grabbing female tenants’ breasts, buttocks, and genitals, making unwelcome sexual advances and comments, and entering the homes of female tenants unannounced and without their consent to further these advances. The defendants — Rosemarie Pelfrey, in her capacity as trustee of two named trusts and as personal representative of Pelfrey’s estate, Omega Enterprises LLC and Pelfrey Investment Company Inc. — were named in the lawsuit because they owned the properties at which the discriminatory conduct took place, and are therefore vicariously liable for their agent Pelfrey’s harassment. Under the terms of the settlement, the defendants must provide Fair Housing Act training for their employees, provide a complaint procedure to tenants and release judgments obtained against victims whom Pelfrey wrongfully evicted.  

The Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative is led by the Civil Rights Division, in coordination with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country. The goal of the department’s initiative is to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers or other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative in Oct. 2017, the Department of Justice has filed 21 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered over $3.8 million for victims of such harassment. 

The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division enforces the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status.  More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at http://www.justice.gov/crt. Individuals may report sexual harassment or other forms of housing discrimination by calling the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743, emailing the Justice Department at fairhousing@usdoj.gov or submitting a report online. Individuals may also report such discrimination by contacting HUD at 1-800-669-9777 or by filing a complaint online.   

This case was prosecuted by Western District of Oklahoma Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ron Gallegos and Emily Fagan, together with trial attorneys from the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C.

The national press release from the Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs can be found at https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-obtains-125-million-settlement-oklahoma-city-landlords-resolve-claims.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, JORDAN GLEN YOUNG, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for wire fraud and signing a false federal income tax return, in connection with a $2.3 million embezzlement from an Oklahoma City trust bank, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

"Young abused the trust placed in him as a trust administrator by stealing more than $2.3 million from trust accounts through repeated diversion of funds for his personal benefit over more than a four-year period," said Acting U.S. Attorney Troester.  "Young then compounded his greed by attempting to hide the ill-gotten gains when he cheated the IRS by failing to pay more than $500,000 in taxes owed on the illegal income. I commend the agents and prosecutors who worked hard to bring Young to justice."

On December 21, 2020, Young was charged by Information with one count of wire fraud and one count of filing a false federal income tax return.  From 2006 through March 2020, Young worked at an Oklahoma City trust bank as a Trust Administrative Officer.  Young oversaw trust accounts and distributed funds from those accounts to the beneficiaries as needed. 

On February 22, 2021, Young pleaded guilty to making an unauthorized distribution, in the amount of $60,706.53, to his personal checking account from a trust account he was managing in October 2018.  As part of his plea, Young admitted that he embezzled funds from his former employer from December 2015 through March 2020, and stipulated that the total loss to the trust bank from his embezzlement scheme was $2,323,036.91. 

In addition to wire fraud, Young also pleaded guilty to signing a false federal income tax return.  He admitted that on April 15, 2019, he signed a personal federal income tax return for the 2018 calendar year that he knew was false because it reported only $114,439 in total income.  At the plea hearing, Young admitted that he omitted on the 2018 tax return thousands of dollars of embezzled income from the trust bank. 

At yesterday’s sentencing, Chief United States District Judge Timothy D. DeGiusti sentenced Young to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.  Chief Judge DeGiusti also ordered Young to pay restitution to the trust bank, in the amount of $2,323,036.91, and to pay restitution for tax loss to the Internal Revenue Service in the amount of $500,822.  Young must report to federal prison on September 8, 2021.   

 This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Oklahoma City Field Office and Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bow Bottomly and Chris M. Stephens.

Reference is made to the information and other public filings for further information.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, STEVEN MESROP, 29, of Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud involving a scheme to fraudulently acquire personal protective equipment and event tickets, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. 

On June 15, 2021, a federal grand jury returned a Superseding Indictment against Mesrop and seven other people.  All defendants were charged with conspiracy.  In addition, Mesrop and another conspirator were charged with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

According to the Superseding Indictment, Mesrop and his associates operated a scheme to use stolen credit card and identity information to induce businesses to provide goods and services, such as event tickets and personal protective equipment, to resell for a profit.  At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the conspirators began targeting U.S.-based businesses selling goods that were scarce due to the pandemic.  The conspirators allegedly used stolen credit card information to purchase items such as nitrile gloves, masks, and gowns and to resell them to third parties.  The Superseding Indictment alleges the conspirators operated the scheme from Canada, the Dominican Republic, Spain, Greece, and Dubai.  The Superseding Indictment alleges the conspirators targeted sports teams and event venues throughout the United States and Canada, including Madison Square Garden in New York City.

The Superseding Indictment further alleges that Mesrop and his associates used 21 different alias email accounts and information from 52 stolen credit cards to purchase over 1,800 tickets to Oklahoma State University athletic events between November 2019 and January 2020.  In March 2020, the conspirators allegedly used stolen credit card information to purchase approximately thousands of dollars’ worth of toilet paper from a paper supply company in Oklahoma City.

Yesterday, Mesrop pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.  At sentencing, Mesrop faces a term of imprisonment of up to 20 years and a potential fine of $250,000.  He has been in custody since his arrest on March 18, 2021.

This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Oklahoma City Field Office, Homeland Security Investigations New York Office – El Dorado Task Force, the New York City Police Department, and the Irvine (California) Police Department, with assistance from Customs and Border Protection.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William Farrior.

Reference is made to court filings for further information.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, GUY WESLEY WHITE, 53, of Edmond, was sentenced to serve 36 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm after being convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

Public record reflects that in January 2020, law enforcement were investigating a domestic violence incident involving White and his juvenile daughter.  During the investigation, law enforcement learned White possessed a firearm during the domestic violence incident in which he physically assaulted his daughter.  In October 2020, a federal grand jury returned a one-count Indictment against White for possession of a firearm after a previous conviction for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.  Federal law prohibits a person who has previously been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from possessing a firearm.  On December 9, 2020, White pled guilty to the Indictment.

Yesterday, Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy D. DeGiusti sentenced White to serve 36 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.  Chief Judge DeGiusti also ordered White to pay a fine of $6,697.00.  Judge DeGiusti ordered White’s sentence to run consecutively to White’s related five-year sentence for child abuse in Oklahoma County Case CF-2020-570.  Evidence presented at sentencing indicated White was a former elite collegiate wrestler in Oklahoma.  In imposing the sentence, the Court specifically noted White’s abuse of his daughter and his history of domestic violence.

This case is the result of investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Edmond Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Wilson D. McGarry prosecuted the case.

This case is part of "Operation 922," the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of Project Safe Neighborhood, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.  "Operation 922" prioritizes prosecution of federal crimes connected to domestic violence.

Reference is made to court filings for further information.

 

OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, BRANDON ALLEN McNEILL, 40, of Wellston, pleaded guilty to a "lie and buy" by making a false statement on a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) firearms transaction record when purchasing a firearm from licensed gun dealer, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. 

On March 2, 2021, a federal grand jury returned a two-count Indictment against McNeill, charging him with making a false statement in acquisition of a firearm, and possessing a firearm after a misdemeanor domestic violence conviction.  According to the Indictment, on January 8, 2021, McNeill entered a federally licensed firearm dealer to purchase a firearm.  During the process, McNeill made a false and fictitious written statement on a federal ATF firearms transaction record indicating that he had not been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, when in fact, he had been convicted of such an offense in 2019. 

Federal law prohibits a person who has previously been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from possessing a firearm.  McNeill was found in possession of the firearm on January 14, 2021, as alleged in the Indictment.

At today’s hearing, McNeill pleaded guilty to making a false statement in acquisition of a firearm.  At sentencing, McNeill faces up to ten years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.   As part of his plea agreement, the government will dismiss at sentencing the second count, charging him with illegally possessing the firearm after a domestic violence conviction.

This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan West.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods and Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiatives to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.  The local implementation of these initiatives in the Western District of Oklahoma is through "Operation 922," which prioritizes prosecution of federal gun crimes connected to domestic violence.

Reference is made to court filings for further information.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, William Don Dollarhide, 45, of Nardin, Oklahoma, was sentenced to serve 50 years in federal prison for producing child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

On June 16, 2020, a federal grand jury returned an Indictment against Dollarhide, charging him with producing and possessing child pornography.

Public records reflect that, in September 2018, Dollarhide, a registered sex offender due to a prior Oklahoma state child pornography conviction, used his cell phone to film himself sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl.  The child’s mother called the Grant County Sheriff’s Department on May 12, 2019, reporting that Dollarhide had sexually assaulted the girl.  Officers responded to Dollarhide’s residence and arrested him.  Officers later searched his electronic devices under a search warrant.  They discovered photographs and videos of Dollarhide sexually abusing the girl and nude pictures and videos of the girl in the bathroom he produced using a hidden camera.

On October 7, 2020, Dollarhide pleaded guilty to producing child pornography.

Today, U.S. District Judge Scott L. Palk sentenced Dollarhide to serve 50 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release.  In imposing the sentence, Judge Palk noted that by repeatedly victimizing a 10-year-old girl Dollarhide had given the girl a life sentence.  The Judge also took into consideration the fact that Dollarhide had a collection of other child pornography images on his computer.  In imposing the maximum sentence—600 months’ imprisonment—the Court ensured that Dollarhide would never endanger or exploit a child again.

This case results from an investigation by the Grant County Sheriff’s Department, with forensic analysis assistance from the Enid Police Department and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Hale prosecuted the case.

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

Reference is made to court filings for further information.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, OSCAR DE JESUS LOPEZ, 31, of Pottawatomie County, was sentenced to serve 120 months in federal prison for being a convicted felon in illegal possession of ammunition, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

On November 2, 2020, a federal grand jury returned a one-count Indictment that alleged illegal possession of a firearm.  On February 18, 2021, Lopez pleaded guilty to Count 1 of a Superseding Information that charged him with being a convicted felon in illegal possession of ammunition.

Public records reflect that, on September 10, 2020, Lopez was involved in a confrontation with his girlfriend’s husband.  This confrontation escalated to a shootout during which Lopez discharged a firearm multiple times towards his girlfriend’s husband.  On September 11, 2020, Lopez was arrested for the shooting.  During the investigation, law enforcement discovered a phone call made by Lopez from the jail, asking his girlfriend to dispose of ammunition located at his residence.  Before September 2020, Lopez had felony convictions for possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute, robbery in the second degree, and pointing a firearm at two people, including a five-year-old child.  Federal law prohibits prior convicted felons from possessing firearms or ammunition.

Today, U.S. District Judge Stephen P. Friot sentenced Lopez to serve 120 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.  In announcing the sentence, Judge Friot noted the nature and circumstances of the offense, including Lopez’s conduct during the shooting, and Lopez’s serious criminal history.

This case is the result of investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Oklahoma City Police Department, and the Norman Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Mary E. Walters prosecuted the case.

Reference is made to public filings for more information.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, MARCEL STEWART, 27, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 78 months in federal prison for being a convicted felon in illegal possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

On November 2, 2020, a federal grand jury returned a one-count Indictment that alleged illegal possession of a firearm.  On March 8, 2021, Stewart plead guilty to the Indictment.  

Public records reflect that, on April 24, 2020, law enforcement responded to a domestic violence call involving Stewart and his girlfriend.  When officers arrived, Stewart was found in possession of a 9mm pistol.  Stewart was arrested for being a felon in possession of a firearm.  During the investigation, it was discovered that a toddler was present during the domestic altercation.  Before April 2020, Stewart served an Oklahoma state prison sentence for shooting a former girlfriend and repeat offenses for illegal possession of a firearm.

On June 29, 2021, U.S. District Judge Patrick R. Wyrick sentenced Stewart to serve 78 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.  In support of this sentence, Judge Wyrick cited the nature of the crime and Stewart’s previous criminal history.

This case is the result of investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Oklahoma City Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Mary E. Walters prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods and Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiatives to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.  The local implementation of these initiatives in the Western District of Oklahoma is through "Operation 922" which prioritizes prosecution of federal gun crimes connected to domestic violence.

Reference is made to public filings for more information.

 

OKLAHOMA CITY - Albert T. Nguyen, M.D., of Oklahoma City, paid $325,000 to settle civil penalty claims stemming from allegations that he violated the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 and its regulations, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

Dr. Nguyen is the owner and sole physician at the Budget Medical Clinic in Oklahoma City.  The United States alleges that from approximately November 2016 to May 2017, Dr. Nguyen operated two clinic locations in Oklahoma City.  When Dr. Nguyen was seeing patients at one location, he routinely left pre-signed, blank prescriptions at the other location, which non-physician practitioners used to issue prescriptions to patients for controlled substances that they did not have the authority to prescribe.  The United States further alleges that the prescriptions were not issued in the usual course of professional practice.  The United States alleged that Dr. Nguyen’s conduct violated the requirements contained in the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 and its regulations.

To resolve these allegations, Dr. Nguyen agreed to pay $325,000 to the United States.

In reaching this settlement, Dr. Nguyen did not admit liability, and the government did not make any concessions about the legitimacy of the claims.  The agreement allows the parties to avoid the delay, expense, inconvenience, and uncertainty involved in litigating the case.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Office of Diversion Control, with assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda R. Johnson and Ronald R. Gallegos prosecuted the case.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, a Superseding Indictment was unsealed charging CHANCE ALAN WILSON, 36, of McAlester, and DEANNA DANNETT WILSON, 55, of Wayne, Oklahoma, with conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute and conspiracy to launder drug proceeds, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

On June 1, 2021, a federal grand jury returned a twelve-count Superseding Indictment against Change Alan Wilson and Deanna Dannett Wilson.  According to the Superseding Indictment, Chance Alan Wilson was the head of the Universal Aryan Brotherhood, a prison gang that operates largely within prison facilities throughout Oklahoma.  It is alleged that Chance Alan Wilson, using contraband cell phones from his prison cell, organized and led a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine throughout Oklahoma and surrounding states.  He allegedly relied on a network of individuals outside of prison to distribute methamphetamine, collect proceeds from that distribution and launder those proceeds. 

The Superseding Indictment alleges that one of those individuals assisting Chance Alan Wilson’s activity was his mother, Deanna Wilson.  It is alleged that she accepted large sums of drug proceeds from Chance Alan Wilson and used those funds to purchase various assets, including a $138,000 manufactured home, purchased with cashier’s checks and cash.

Yesterday, the Superseding Indictment was unsealed following the defendants’ arraignment.   

If convicted on the drug trafficking charges, Chance Alan Wilson faces a potential penalty of at least 10 years and up to life in prison and a fine up to $10,000,000.   If convicted on the money laundering conspiracy charge, Chance Alan Wilson and Deanna Wilson each face a period of imprisonment of up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $500,000.  If convicted of engaging in a monetary transaction using drug proceeds, Deanna Wilson faces a period of imprisonment of up to 10 years, a fine of not more than $250,000 (or a fine of twice the value of the property involved in the transaction whichever is greater)

The case is a result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the Internal Revenue System – Criminal Investigations, and the Oklahoma City Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Snyder is prosecuting the case.

The public is reminded that the Indictment is merely accusation and that the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  Reference is made to public filings for further information.

 

OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, JAMES MCWILLIE AMBROSE, 39, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve twelve years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing controlled dangerous substances with intent to distribute, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

On July 8, 2020, a six-count Superseding Indictment was filed charging Ambrose with two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, two counts of possessing controlled substances with intent to distribute, and two counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  On November 3, 2020, pursuant to a plea agreement, Ambrose pled guilty to two counts of possessing controlled dangerous substances with intent to distribute and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Public records reflect that Ambrose was stopped for a traffic offense on December 1, 2019.  Officers performed a search of the car after observing a mason jar filled with a green substance consistent with marijuana on the passenger-side floorboard.  Officers found quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine, multiple pills of methamphetamine, and a loaded .38 caliber firearm concealed behind door panels of the car.  On May 20, 2020, officers arrested Ambrose on a federal warrant as he was leaving his home, and found 13.6 grams of crack cocaine and $370 in the pockets of his shorts.  Law enforcement searched Ambrose’s home and seized crack cocaine, powder cocaine, heroin, a .380 caliber pistol, and .380 caliber ammunition.  Before the search, Ambrose had felony crimes for trafficking in a controlled dangerous substance, possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute, possession of drug proceeds, and felon in possession of firearm.  Federal law prohibits prior convicted felons from possessing firearms or ammunition.       

Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Stephen P. Friot sentenced Ambrose to serve 144 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.  In announcing the sentence, Judge Friot noted the nature and circumstances of the offense and Ambrose’s criminal history.

This case is the result of investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Oklahoma City Field Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Oklahoma City Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley L. Altshuler prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods and Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiatives to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.  The local implementation of these initiatives in the Western District of Oklahoma is through "Operation 922" which prioritizes prosecution of federal gun crimes connected to domestic violence.

Reference is made to public filings for further information.

OKLAHOMA CITY – MICHAEL HANS OLOA, 35, of Lawton, has been indicted for assaulting federal law enforcement officers by shooting at the officers in a Lawton casino parking lot, and for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

On June 15, 2021, a federal grand jury returned a two-count Indictment against Oloa.  Count 1 of the Indictment charges Oloa with assaulting a federal officer, and Count 2 charges him with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.  According to a Criminal Complaint Affidavit filed on May 27, 2021, two officers with the Comanche Nation Police Department were called to the Comanche Nation Casino in Lawton, Oklahoma, on May 25, 2021.  There, officers encountered Oloa, who then fled and discharged a firearm in the direction of the officers.  Oloa is prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm because he has been previously convicted of felony crimes.  The Comanche Nation Police Department officers at whom Oloa fired his gun had been deputized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Special Law Enforcement Commission to investigate federal crimes and are therefore considered federal law enforcement officers.

If convicted on Count 1, Oloa faces up to twenty years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.  If convicted on Count 2, Oloa faces up to ten years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

This case arises from an investigation by the Comanche Nation Police Department, the Lawton Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Stoneman is prosecuting the case.

The public is reminded that these charges are merely allegations and that Oloa is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Reference is made to court filings for further information.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, STEPHON JAMAR DUNCAN, of Atlanta, Georgia, was charged in federal court with one count of interference with flight crew members and attendants, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

According to the Complaint, on June 11, 2021, Duncan caused a disturbance on Delta Flight #1730, forcing the flight to be diverted to Oklahoma City.  If convicted, Duncan faces up to twenty years in federal prison and up to a $250,000 fine, followed by three years of supervised release.

This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Oklahoma City Field Office and the Oklahoma City Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Dillon and Travis Smith are prosecuting the case.

The public is reminded that these charges are merely allegations and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.  Reference is made to public records for more information.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, JOSHUA DECKER, 37, of Bixby, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal trade secrets from an oil and gas company, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. 

On May 26, 2021, the government filed against Decker a one-count Superseding Information charging him with conspiracy to steal, download, and possess trade secrets.  According to the Superseding Information, Decker was a controller for the valve division of an oil and gas company that serves customers engaged in drilling and production.  With its valve operations headquartered in Oklahoma City, the company manufactures compact manifold ball valves sold across the United States.  In March 2017, while employed as the controller at the company, Decker registered with the Oklahoma Secretary of State a new company called Legacy Valve Systems (“Legacy”).  He then recruited co-workers at the victim company to join him at Legacy. 

The Superseding Information alleges that from March to September 2017, Decker conspired to steal numerous trade secrets from the victim company.  Specifically, it alleges Decker and others acting at his direction downloaded the technical drawings, material specifications, and manufacturing instructions for the victim company’s valves, and Decker transmitted the victim company’s detailed financial information—including cost information and sales by product and customer—by email to himself.  The Superseding Information further alleges that Decker provided the victim company’s drawings to an individual who copied them and replaced the victim company’s logo with a Legacy logo to begin manufacturing and selling valves to compete with the victim company.  Decker then allegedly directed others to delete all their text messages and files, including messages on an encrypted application, to conceal their theft from the victim company.

At today’s hearing, Decker pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal trade secrets.  Decker admitted that the victim company undertook several measures to protect their information as trade secrets.  Decker admitted that he, along with others, planned to take and use the drawings of the victim company’s valves to create products for Legacy.  He also admitted that he possessed many of the drawings on his own laptop.  Decker also admitted that he instructed those working with him to delete their communications about the drawings they took. 

At sentencing, Decker faces up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, restitution to the victim company, and up to three years of supervised release. 

This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys K. McKenzie Anderson and Daniel Gridley. 

Reference is made to court filings for further information.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, DAVID EARL CARPENTER, JR., 40, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve ten years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

On September 16, 2020, a federal grand jury returned an Indictment against Carpenter, charging him with illegal possession of a firearm as a convicted felon.  According to the Indictment, on June 20, 2020, Carpenter illegally possessed a 9mm caliber pistol.  Prior to being found in possession of the firearm, Carpenter had been convicted of numerous felony convictions.  Federal law prohibits prior convicted felons from possessing firearms or ammunition.

Yesterday, Carpenter was sentenced to ten years in prison followed by three years’ supervised release.  At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Patrick R. Wyrick noted Carpenter’s lengthy criminal history and instances of physical violence against women, including choking.  

This case is the result of an investigation by the Oklahoma City Police Department and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Hale prosecuted the case.

This case is part of "Operation 922," the Western District’s local implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods and Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s initiatives to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.  "Operation 922" prioritizes firearms prosecutions connected to domestic violence, including domestic violence abusers who possess a firearm and are subject to a victim protective order or have been previously convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

Reference is made to court filings for further information.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, REUBEN ONDRA ELLIS, 19, of Oklahoma City, pleaded guilty to robbing the First Fidelity Bank in Oklahoma City, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

On April 28, 2021, Ellis was charged by a criminal complaint for the First Fidelity Bank robbery.  According to court documents, Ellis entered the First Fidelity Bank branch located at 10904 N. May Avenue, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on the afternoon of April 5, 2021, wearing a baseball cap, black long sleeve shirt, and a face covering with a floral print. He handed a note to a teller demanding the money from her teller drawer, and she complied.  A description of the robber and other investigative information led to Ellis’s arrest the next day.

Today, Ellis pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery before U.S. District Judge Patrick R. Wyrick.  As part of his plea, Ellis admitted to robbing three other Oklahoma City banks between December 21, 2020 and April 5, 2021: (1) the Chase Bank located at 12200 N. Rockwell; (2) the Weokie Federal Credit Union located at 12720 N. Pennsylvania Avenue; and (3) the MidFirst Bank located at 13240 N. May Avenue.

At sentencing, Ellis faces up to twenty years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and mandatory restitution.

This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation—Oklahoma City Field Division and the Oklahoma City Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Wilson D. McGarry is prosecuting the case.

Reference is made to court filings to further information.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, JUAN LU, 57, of Norman, pleaded guilty to making a false statement regarding Department of Energy grants, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.  Her husband, SHAORONG LIU, 58, of Norman, already pleaded guilty to using false documents in the same case.

On February 18, 2021, a federal grand jury returned a 16-count Superseding Indictment against Liu and Lu.  According to the Superseding Indictment, Liu is employed as a professor at the University of Oklahoma Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.  Liu and Lu controlled a company called MicroChem Solutions (MCS).  Through MCS, they applied for and received federal grant monies from the Small Business Technology Transfer Program of the Department of Energy.  The mission of the grant program was to support scientific excellence and technological innovation through the investment of federal research funds in critical American priorities to build a strong national economy.  Liu and Lu spent this grant money on matters unrelated to the purpose of the grant funding, including on personal expenses.  Additionally, Liu and Lu made false statements and submitted altered documents to the Department of Energy regarding how they spent grant money.

Yesterday, Lu pleaded guilty to using documents containing materially false statements regarding a matter pertaining to the executive branch of the United States government, namely the Department of Energy.  On April 21, 2021, Liu pleaded guilty to making a materially false statement regarding a matter pertaining to the executive branch of the United States government, namely the Department of Energy. 

At sentencing, Liu and Lu each face a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a potential fine of $250,000.

This case is a result of investigations by the Department of Energy Office of Inspector General, the National Science Foundation Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Oklahoma City Field Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Will Farrior and Matt Dillon are prosecuting the case.

Reference is made to court filings for more information.

 

OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, RODERICK GLENN HOUSTON, JR., 37, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to more than 27 years in federal prison for child sex trafficking, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

On September 1, 2020, a federal grand jury returned a Superseding Indictment against Houston that charged him with child sex trafficking, production of child pornography, and transportation of child pornography.

On October 8, 2020, Houston pleaded guilty to child sex trafficking.  According to public records and admissions made as part of his guilty plea, between April 2015 and March 9, 2016, Houston served as the pimp of a minor girl.  Houston advertised her as an escort on the internet, provided her to men for commercial sex, and kept the cash proceeds.  Despite knowing that she was a child, he sold her to men for sex in Oklahoma, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas.

Today, Senior U.S. District Judge Stephen P. Friot sentenced Houston to serve 335 months in federal prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release.  Judge Friot also ordered Houston to pay $25,100 in restitution and assessments.  In arriving at his sentence, Judge Friot took into consideration the facts that Houston gave his victim drugs, gave her false identification documents, physically assaulted her, produced child pornography depicting her, and engaged in prohibited sexual conduct with her.

Upon his release from prison, Houston will be required to register as a sex offender. 

This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Oklahoma City Field Office, the Oklahoma City Police Department, and the Los Angeles (California) Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Hale and McKenzie Anderson prosecuted the case.

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

Reference is made to court filings for further information.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, TODD ANTHONY JOHNSON, 39, of Shawnee, was sentenced to serve 78 months in federal prison for possessing ammunition as a convicted felon, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

On September 15, 2020, Johnson pleaded guilty to illegally possessing ammunition as a convicted felon.  According to court documents, on April 23, 2019, Johnson illegally possessed 25 rounds of ammunition, three of which were found in a shotgun used to threaten his girlfriend during a domestic dispute.  Prior to being found in possession of the ammunition, Johnson had been convicted of burglary in the first degree and knowingly concealing stolen property in Lincoln County.  Federal law prohibits prior convicted felons from possessing firearms or ammunition.

Evidence at sentencing showed that Johnson had been subject to five protective orders.  These protective orders were sought by separate women whom Johnson had threatened or abused.  

Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishman sentenced Johnson to serve seventy-eight months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.  In imposing the sentence, Judge Dishman noted Johnson’s history of domestic violence and abuse of intimate partners.  Johnson has been in custody since his arrest on the federal charges on February 20, 2020.  

This sentence is the result of investigations by the United States Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Shawnee Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary E. Walters, Jason M. Harley, and Jacquelyn M. Hutzell prosecuted the case.

This case is part of "Operation 922," the Western District’s local implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods and Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s initiatives to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.  "Operation 922" prioritizes firearms prosecutions connected to domestic violence, including domestic violence abusers who possess a firearm and are subject to a victim protective order or have been previously convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

Reference is made to court filings for further information.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, RONALD J. MCCORD, 70, of Oklahoma City, pleaded guilty to defrauding two locally-based banks, Fannie Mae, and others through a broad range of fraudulent conduct over the course of three years, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. 

McCord was the Chairman and founder of First Mortgage Company, LLC ("FMC"), an Oklahoma City-based mortgage lending and loan servicing company.  On June 3, 2020, a grand jury returned a 24-count Indictment against McCord.  The charges included bank fraud, money laundering, and making a false statement to a financial institution. 

Yesterday, McCord pleaded guilty to five counts of the Indictment. 

According to court documents and yesterday’s plea hearing, McCord admitted to defrauding Spirit Bank ("Spirit") and Citizens State Bank ("Citizens")—two state-chartered financial institutions—as well as their respective residential mortgage subsidiaries, American Southwest Mortgage Corporation ("Mortgage Corp.") and American Southwest Mortgage Funding Corporation ("Funding Corp.").  An independent audit discovered that McCord had sold more than $14,100,000.00 in Spirit/Mortgage Corp. and Citizens/Funding Corp. loans "out of trust" by failing to repay Spirit/Mortgage Corp. when certain Spirit/Mortgage Corp.-initiated loans were refinanced or otherwise paid off.  At the time of this discovery, FMC carried outstanding balances of about $200,000,000.00 and $140,000,000.00 on the Spirit/Mortgage Corp. and Citizens/Funding Corp. lines of credit, respectively.

Upon learning of McCord’s conduct, Spirit/Mortgage Corp. and Citizens/Funding Corp. terminated future warehouse lending to FMC, and instituted new notification requirements that required McCord to assign FMC-funded mortgages to Spirit/Mortgage Corp. and Citizens/Funding Corp., to ensure the title companies handling those mortgages sent payoffs directly to the banks.  McCord admitted at yesterday’s plea hearing that he filed the assignments as required, but then caused the mortgages to be released on two properties—in Leland and Denver, North Carolina—after collecting the mortgage payoffs.

Spirit/Mortgage Corp. and Citizens/Funding Corp.’s refusal to fund new FMC mortgages prompted McCord to seek out a new warehouse lender.  In early 2017, McCord began negotiating with CapLOC, LLC, a North Carolina-based mortgage lending business, and offered to sell FMC’s mortgage lending business in exchange for quick funding from CapLOC.  At yesterday’s plea hearing, McCord admitted that he made a materially false statement and representation to CapLOC in the course of those negotiations, in order to influence CapLOC’s actions.

Finally, in 2017, FMC serviced approximately 12,000 loans worth a total of approximately $1,800,000,000.00 for the Federal National Mortgage Association ("Fannie Mae").  McCord admitted at the plea hearing that he defrauded Fannie Mae by diverting escrow monies intended to pay homeowners’ taxes and insurance premiums to cover FMC’s operating expenses.  McCord also admitted that he then laundered the proceeds by causing a wire transfer from FMC’s operating account to a custom home builder, as payment towards construction of McCord’s home in Colorado.

At sentencing, which is currently scheduled for August 9, 2021, McCord faces up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000.00 on each count of bank fraud and false statement to a financial institution.  He also faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine on the money laundering count.  Per the terms of his plea agreement, the government agreed not to advocate at sentencing for a sentence above 104 months.  Under the plea agreement, McCord will be ordered to pay restitution to the victims of his conduct in amounts to be determined by the court at the time of sentencing.  McCord must also forfeit proceeds of the fraudulent schemes and property involved in the offenses.  Further, as part of the plea agreement, the government will dismiss at sentencing the remaining counts of the Indictment.

This case is the result of investigations by the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of the Inspector General, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia E. Barry is prosecuting the case.

Reference is made to court filings for further information.

OKLAHOMA – Yesterday, BRIAN WADE EDDY, 46, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was sentenced to serve 64 months in federal prison for accessing and viewing images of child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

On June 17, 2020, a federal grand jury returned a one-count Indictment that charged Eddy with knowingly accessing, with intent to view, child pornography from his government-issued laptop.  According to the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations, at the time of the incident Eddy was a civilian employee at Tinker Air Force Base and was a ranking Colonel in the Air Force Reserves.  Eddy has since been terminated.

On September 2, 2020, Eddy pleaded guilty to the Indictment.  As part of his plea, Eddy admitted that he searched for and viewed images of child pornography from his government laptop in December 2019.

Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Joe Heaton sentenced Eddy to serve 64 months in federal prison for his conduct, followed by 10 years of supervised release.  Eddy was also ordered to pay a total of $5,100.00 in special assessments.  In imposing the sentence, Judge Heaton noted the nature and circumstances of the offense, specifically highlighting the exploitation of those who are most vulnerable.

This case is the result of an investigation by the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia E. Barry prosecuted the case.

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

Reference is made to court filings for further information.

OKLAHOMA CITY — In honor of National Police Week, Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester joins Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in recognizing the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement.  This year, the week is observed Sunday, May 9 through Saturday, May 15, 2021.

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

"Our law enforcement partners regularly face demanding and dangerous circumstances, with a steadfast dedication to the safety of our communities and a willingness to set aside their own wellbeing for the sake of others," said Acting U.S. Attorney Troester.  "On behalf of the women and men of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, it is our privilege and honor of to stand by your side and support your vital work to keep us safe and bring to justice those who violate our laws.  You are truly deserving of our deepest gratitude for your service and sacrifice every day." 

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

Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty, and commitment to keeping our communities safe.  This year, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted law enforcement officers’ courage and unwavering devotion to the communities that they have sworn to serve.

During the Roll Call of Heroes, a ceremony coordinated by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), more than 300 officers will be honored. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), of the law enforcement officers who died nationwide in the line of duty in 2020, nearly 60% succumbed to COVID-19.

Additionally, according to statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 46 law enforcement officers died as a result of felonious acts and 47 died in accidents in 2020. LEOKA statistics can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website. 

The names of the 394 fallen officers who have been added in 2020 to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Thursday, May 13, 2021, during a Virtual Candlelight Vigil, which will be livestreamed to the public at 8:00 pm EDT.  The Police Week in-person public events, originally scheduled for May, have been rescheduled due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns to Oct. 13-17, 2021.  An in-person Candlelight Vigil event is scheduled for Oct. 14, 2021.

Those who wish to view the Virtual Candlelight Vigil on May 13, 2021, can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNLEOMF.  The FOP’s Roll Call of Heroes can be viewed at www.fop.net.  To view the schedule of virtual Police Week events in May, please view NLEOMF’s Police Week Flyer.   

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

OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, a federal jury convicted JASON ALAN VILLEGAS, 28, of El Paso, Texas, of conspiring to distribute cocaine and possessing cocaine with intent to distribute, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

On February 19, 2021, a federal grand jury returned a two-count Superseding Indictment against Villegas.  Count 1 charged Villegas with conspiring to distribute cocaine.  Count 2 charged him with possessing cocaine with intent to distribute.

Yesterday, after a two-day trial, a jury returned guilty verdicts on both counts.  Evidence at trial showed that on August 10, 2020, Villegas was arrested after a search of his vehicle at a traffic stop in Canadian County resulted in the seizure of approximately six kilograms of cocaine hidden in a secret compartment built into his vehicle.  Evidence at trial also showed that Villegas’ arrest on August 10, 2020 took place on his third such trip from El Paso for drug trafficking purposes.

At sentencing in approximately 90 days, Villegas faces a minimum sentence of ten years in federal prison and up to a life sentence for each count.  Each count also carries a fine of up to $10,000,000 and a minimum term of supervised release of five years following imprisonment.

This case is the result of investigations by Homeland Security Investigations and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Snyder and Travis Leverett prosecuted the case.

Reference is made to court filings for further information.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Last week, a federal jury convicted JIMMY LEE BROOKS, 35, of Oklahoma City, of possessing ammunition after a former conviction of a felony and a separate charge of witness tampering, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

On October 21, 2020, a federal grand jury returned a three-count Superseding Indictment against Brooks.  Count 1 charged Brooks with possessing ammunition after a former felony conviction.  Count 2 charged him with possessing a long-barrel shotgun after a former felony conviction.  Count 3 charged Brooks with witness tampering, specifically attempting to influence, delay, and prevent testimony in an official proceeding. 

On April 29, 2021, after a three-day trial, the jury returned guilty verdicts on Counts 1 and 3.  Evidence at trial showed that Brooks got into an altercation with his girlfriend on March 18, 2020, which resulted in Brooks brandishing a knife towards his girlfriend.  When she fled the scene by hopping in a stranger’s vehicle, Brooks used a .380 caliber handgun to fire eight rounds towards the stranger’s vehicle, striking his girlfriend.  Evidence at trial also showed that following his initial appearance in federal court, Brooks placed jail phone calls in which he attempted to convince his girlfriend to recant her earlier statements to the police and hospital staff that named Brooks as the shooter on March 18, 2020.

At sentencing in approximately 90 days, Brooks faces up to ten years in federal prison on the ammunition conviction, and up to 20 years in federal prison on the witness-tampering conviction.  Each count of conviction also carries a fine of up to $250,000 and up to three years of supervised release following a term of imprisonment.  Brooks has been detained in custody since March 26, 2020, pending charges from the March 18, 2020 shooting.

This case is the result of investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Oklahoma City Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nick Coffey and Charles Brown prosecuted the case.

This case is part of "Operation 922," the Western District’s local implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods and Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s initiatives to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.  "Operation 922" prioritizes firearms prosecutions connected to domestic violence, including domestic violence abusers who possess a firearm and are subject to a victim protective order or have been previously convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

Reference is made to court filings for further information.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland today awarded the Volunteer for Victims Award to Tricia L. Everest for her advocacy on behalf of crime victims.  Ms. Everest was among 13 individuals and teams from across the country who were honored for their work.  The award recipients were recognized virtually during the annual National Crime Victims’ Service Awards Ceremony.

"Every day, we bear witness to stirring acts of heroism on the part of compassionate and courageous advocates – and crime victims themselves," said Attorney General Garland.  "One of our responsibilities is to ensure that victims are informed, have a voice, and are supported in the healing process.  To the exceptional men and women we honor today – thank you for your service to crime victims, for your commitment to the safety of your communities, and for working to make America a more just and more compassionate place."

Ms. Everest currently serves as the chair for Palomar, Oklahoma City’s Family Justice Center, which removes barriers for abuse victims to access the services they need, as well as the founding chair of ReMerge, which diverts mother from prison and empowers women to build healthy foundations for themselves and their children.  Ms. Everest was previously the Oklahoma Assistant Attorney General, where she worked to help victims of crimes.  She was also Chair of the Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Authority and provided oversight of finances and operations of the jail.  Ms. Everest was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 2019 for her leadership of hope-inspiriting initiatives for people to build stronger lives after victimization.  In March 2020, Governor Kevin Stitt announced that, pending confirmation by the Oklahoma State Senate, he was appointing Ms. Everest to be the Secretary of Public Safety, in part for her work on behalf of crime victims.

"Through her passionate and unwavering advocacy for victims of domestic violence, Tricia’s service is a tremendous asset to our Oklahoma communities," said Acting U.S. Attorney Robert Troester.  "Her pioneering vision for Palomar set a new standard for local coordinated efforts to combat domestic violence, hold abusers accountable, and provide wholistic support for victims of abuse.  It is a privilege to partner with Tricia and witness her influential passion for improving the safety and quality of our communities."

Ms. Everest and the other award recipients were selected from public nominations in 10 categories, including federal service, special courage, public policy and victim services.  The Office for Victims of Crime, a component of the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, leads communities across the country in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW).  Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first Victims’ Rights Week in 1981, putting crime victims' rights, needs and concerns in a prominent spot on the American agenda.  He also established the President's Task Force on Victims of Crime, which laid the groundwork for a national network of services and legal safeguards for crime victims.  The 40th observance of NCVRW takes place this year, April 18-24, and features the theme, “Support Victims. Build Trust. Engage Communities.”

"We come together each year during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week to show that we are united in our commitment to making sure all crime victims feel heard, respected and remembered," said Office of Justice Programs Acting Assistant Attorney General Maureen A. Henneberg.  "We honor these outstanding public safety professionals and advocates who work so hard to support crime victims as they walk the path from trauma to healing."

According to the Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1.2 million Americans age 12 and older were victims of violent crime, excluding simple assault, in 2019, down from 1.4 million in 2018.  An estimated 12.8 million U.S. households experienced one or more property victimizations.  OVC supports more than 7,000 local victim assistance programs and victim compensation programs in every state and U.S. territory.  Funds for these programs come from the Crime Victims Fund, which is made up of federal criminal fines, penalties and bond forfeitures.

Following is a list of the all award recipients:

• The Volunteer for Victims Award recognizes individuals who serve without compensation.
  Recipient: Tricia L. Everest, Nichols Hills, Oklahoma

• The Allied Professional Award recognizes individuals working outside the victim assistance field for their service to victims.
  Recipient:  Pfawnn Eskee, Montezuma Creek, Utah

• The Award for Professional Innovation in Victim Services recognizes a program, organization or individual who expands the reach of victims’ rights and services.
  Recipient: JoNell Efantis Potter, PhD, Miami, Florida

• The Federal Service Award recognizes federal agency personnel for service to victims of federal, tribal or military crimes.
  Recipient: Acquanette Lindsay, Dayton, Ohio

• The First Responders Award recognizes an individual from the law enforcement, emergency services, firefighters and rescue professions for extraordinary acts of valor toward crime victims.
  Recipients: John Guard, Greenville, North Carolina; and Robin Taylor, Chardon, Ohio

• The National Crime Victim Service Award honors extraordinary efforts to provide direct services to crime victims.
  Recipient: The Vegas Strong Resiliency Center, Las Vegas, Nevada; and Jennifer Dunn, Waukesha, Wisconsin

• The Ronald Wilson Reagan Public Policy Award honors leadership, innovation and vision that lead to noteworthy changes in public policy on behalf of crime victims.
  Recipient: Jeannette M. Adkins, Bellbrook, Ohio

• The Special Courage Award honors extraordinary bravery in the aftermath of a crime or courageous act on behalf of a victim or potential victim.
  Recipients: Jennifer Elmore, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; and Jennifer Luther, Tallahassee, Florida

• The Tomorrow’s Leaders Award recognizes youth up to 24 years old for efforts to support crime victims.
  Recipient: Sachiri Henderson, Shreveport, Louisiana

• The Victims Rights Legend Award recognizes an individual whose work over an extended period of time has resulted in positive and substantial change in the field of victim advocacy and/or victims’ rights.
  Recipient: Victor I. Vieth, Lewiston, Minnesota

"It is important for us as a country to set aside time during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week to honor victims and to recognize those who advocate for resources and policies designed to meet the many serious challenges victims face," said Office for Victims of Crime Acting Director Katherine Darke Schmitt.  "Few people expect to be a victim, and no one deserves the pain and injustice that burden every crime survivor.  We should take it upon ourselves this week, and every week, to show our unity with and compassion for those who have experienced the pain of victimization."

To see the complete list of awardees and learn more about past NCVRW recipients, visit www.ovc.gov/gallery.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Last week, ROLANDO CIFUENTES-LOPEZ, 37, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve more than 24 years in federal prison for child sex trafficking, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. 

On November 20, 2019, Cifuentes-Lopez was stopped by the Oklahoma City Police Department and arrested by Homeland Security Investigations when it was determined he was undocumented and lacked legal status in the United States.  On December 4, 2019, a federal grand jury returned a two-count Indictment against Cifuentes-Lopez, charging him with child sex trafficking of two children, aged 14 and 15.  According to court documents, Cifuentes-Lopez recruited, obtained, harbored, and patronized the child victims, knowing they would be caused to engage in commercial sex acts.  Cifuentes-Lopez owned the trailer where the two child victims lived and threatened to evict their family if he and other men were not provided with sex.  He engaged in this conduct with one child between November 2016 and January 18, 2019, and with the second child between March 2018 and January 18, 2019.

On March 9, 2020, Cifuentes-Lopez pleaded guilty to both counts of child sex trafficking. 

On April 16, 2021, U.S. District Judge Charles B. Goodwin sentenced Cifuentes-Lopez to serve 292 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.  In addition, Judge Goodwin ordered Cifuentes-Lopez to pay $10,200 in special assessments and stated that restitution for the victims will be determined at a subsequent hearing.  In imposing the sentence, Judge Goodwin noted that Cifuentes-Lopez had exerted undue influence over the children and had engaged in a pattern of prohibited sexual conduct.

Two other defendants in this investigation have already been sentenced, both for sex trafficking of the same children.  On October 21, 2020, ERI LEONARDO CIFUENTES-LOPEZ, 42, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to more than 24 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.  On February 11, 2021, WILSON GRAMAJO-MALDONADO, 30, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to 27 years in prison, followed by five year of supervised release.  In addition to those terms of incarceration, Judge Goodwin ordered both Eri Cifuentes-Lopez and Gramajo-Maldonado to pay $5,100 in special assessments.

Upon their release from prison, all three men will be required to register as sex offenders.

"Sex trafficking of children is a horrendous crime that preys upon the most vulnerable in our society and steals their innocence," said Acting U.S. Attorney Troester.  "Prosecuting those who exploit child victims rescues child victims from the abusive life of sex trafficking and helps them reclaim their lives.  I commend the incredible work by the prosecutors, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and Oklahoma City Police Department in holding accountable those who sell children for sex."

This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Oklahoma City Field Division, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, and the Oklahoma City Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys K. McKenzie Anderson and Mary E. Walters prosecuted the case.

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

Reference is made to public filings for more information.