Zachary Thomas Carson, a 36-year-old resident of Stilwell, Oklahoma, has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for illegally possessing ammunition. The sentencing was announced by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
Carson pleaded guilty on June 10, 2025, to one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition. According to law enforcement officials, Carson was found with 255 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition, one round of .22 caliber hornet ammunition, a spent casing, and two rifle magazines containing 40 rounds each during a traffic stop on April 21, 2025. At that time, he had previously been convicted of an offense punishable by more than one year in prison.
The investigation involved multiple agencies: the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the District 27 Drug Task Force; the Stilwell Police Department; and the Adair County Sheriff’s Office.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, this initiative brings together resources from several programs such as Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) to address illegal immigration issues and combat violent crime through coordinated efforts across agencies.
Chief U.S. District Judge Ronald A. White presided over the case in Muskogee federal court. Carson will remain in custody with the U.S. Marshals Service until he is transferred to a federal prison facility to serve his sentence without parole.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob R. Parker prosecuted the case.
