John Ray Collins Jr. and Tambara Lorene Collins, residents of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, were sentenced in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma for crimes involving child abuse and neglect. John Collins received a 30-year prison sentence after being convicted of attempted murder, two counts of child abuse, and one count of child neglect. His wife, Tambara Collins, was sentenced to 18 years in prison following her guilty plea to two counts of child abuse and one count of child neglect.
The investigation into the couple's actions was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Okmulgee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police. It revealed that between January 1 and June 12, 2023, the couple abused two children under their care. The children suffered from bruises and abrasions on various parts of their bodies. In mid-June, John Collins intensified his abuse by beating one child with a pipe and denying them basic necessities such as food and medical care.
Special Agent Doug Goodwater from FBI Oklahoma City stated: "The suffering these innocent children endured at the hands of two people who were supposed to love and care for them is horrific and unconscionable." He expressed pride in the FBI's role in bringing justice through this case.
United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson also commented on the case: "The defendants subjected children in their care to unthinkable abuse and neglect," acknowledging the collaborative efforts that led to securing convictions.
Judge John F. Heil III presided over the hearing where both defendants were ordered to remain in custody pending transportation to a federal prison facility. They will serve non-paroleable sentences.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caila M. Cleary and Sarah McAmis represented the prosecution during this trial.
