Robert J. "Bob" Troester U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma
Michael Joseph Dias, a 33-year-old resident of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for illegal possession of ammunition following a previous felony conviction. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
Dias was charged on May 7, 2024, with being a felon in possession of ammunition by a federal Grand Jury. A jury found him guilty on October 24, 2024, after a two-day trial.
The incident leading to the charge occurred on April 2, 2024. Officers from the Oklahoma City Police Department responded to an apartment complex due to a reported burglary. The victim reported finding his door ajar and encountering someone inside. After gaining entry and pursuing the suspect identified as Dias into the parking lot, the victim claimed that Dias displayed a firearm and fired a shot as he fled. Police recovered a shell casing at the scene and arrested Dias shortly afterward following a foot chase.
Dias's criminal record includes multiple felony convictions: attempted second-degree burglary (Comanche County District Court case CF-2009-438), second-degree burglary (CF-2009-576), attempted first-degree burglary (Oklahoma County District Court case CF-2014-6249), indecent exposure (CF-2018-4626), second-degree burglary (CF-2019-1883), and felon in possession of a firearm (CF-2019-2104).
On March 4, 2025, U.S. District Judge Joe Heaton sentenced Dias to serve 120 months in federal prison with an additional three years of supervised release. The court highlighted both the dangerous nature of the offense and Dias’s extensive criminal history during sentencing.
The investigation involved collaboration between the Oklahoma City Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Gridley and Travis Leverett prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through coordinated law enforcement efforts. It also falls under "Operation Shots Fired," targeting incidents where firearms are discharged during criminal activities like drive-by shootings or other disputes.
For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, visit https://justice.gov/psn or https://justice.gov/usao-wdok.
Reference is made to public filings for further details.
