MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Amanda Louise Ellis, age 40, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced on August 8, 2019, to 12 months’ imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release for False Statement in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001(a)(2). Ellis was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $89,324.78. In a related matter, Julieann Logsdon, age 33, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced on Oct. 10, 2019, to 18 months’ imprisonment and 2 years of supervised release for False Statement, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001. The charges against Ellis and Logsdon arose from an investigation by the Tahlequah Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The investigation was related to an Aug. 26, 2017 arson at Mail-Mart, a shipping business located at One Plaza South in Tahlequah.
The Information charging Ellis alleged that on Aug. 28, 2017, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, Ellis willfully and knowingly made a materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statement and representation in a matter within the jurisdiction of the executive branch of the government of the United States, by stating she had received a phone call from a specific individual, although she knew the call had come from someone else.
The Indictment charging Logsdon alleged that on Aug. 29, 2017, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, Logsdon willfully and knowingly made a materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statement and representation in a matter within the jurisdiction of the executive branch of the government of the United States, by claiming she entered the MailMart and turned off the alarm, at a specific date and time. Contrary to her statement, as the defendant then and there knew, she did not enter the MailMart and did not turn off the alarm at that time.
United States Attorney Brian J. Kuester said, “Federal law enforcement agents have difficult jobs. Their work is made even more difficult when people who have knowledge of a crime lie to agents in an effort to sabotage an investigation. Fortunately, during the course of this investigation it became apparent that Ellis and Logsdon had lied to investigators. As a result, they are being held accountable."
The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorney Dean Burris represented the United States.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
