Deland Ray Sam, a 62-year-old resident of Muskogee, Oklahoma, has been sentenced to 31 months in prison for the federal offense of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The sentence was announced by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge followed an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with the Muskogee Police Department. Sam pleaded guilty on September 26, 2024, to illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition. The incident that led to his arrest occurred on June 21, 2021, when Sam attempted to evade law enforcement during a high-speed chase that concluded near 6th and Hancock in Muskogee. During the pursuit, officers found an empty pistol magazine in his vehicle. A subsequent search at Main and Hancock revealed a loaded .40 caliber pistol. It was noted that Sam had prior convictions for crimes punishable by more than one year of imprisonment.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. The program focuses on building trust within communities, supporting organizations that prevent violence, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and evaluating outcomes.
The sentencing hearing was overseen by Chief U.S. District Judge Ronald A. White at the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. Sam will remain under the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until he is transported to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve his non-paroleable sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob R. Parker represented the United States in this case.
