U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester | U.S. Department of Justice
A federal jury in Oklahoma City has found Bryan Joshua Tewanema, a 31-year-old from Arizona, guilty of possessing a prohibited object at the Federal Transfer Center. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
Tewanema was charged by a federal grand jury on July 17, 2024, with possession of a prohibited object. Following a two-day trial that concluded on December 4, 2024, he was convicted of the charge. During the trial, evidence showed that corrections officers discovered a sharpened piece of plexiglass—referred to as a "shank"—hidden in Tewanema's pant leg on May 29, 2024. It was revealed that this marked the fourth occasion such an item had been found either on his person or in his assigned cell.
At sentencing, Tewanema could face up to five years in federal prison. This sentence would be served consecutively to his existing sentences for second-degree murder and discharging a firearm related to a crime of violence. He may also incur a fine of up to $250,000.
The case stemmed from an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Special Investigative Services and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tiffany Edgmon and Jordan Ganz.
Further details can be found in public filings.
