Megan Renee Burgess, a 47-year-old resident of Wewoka, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty on April 14 to one count of Theft in Indian Country, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The indictment stated that Burgess took and carried away United States currency exceeding $1,000 from January 2017 through November 7, 2022. The crime occurred in Seminole County within the boundaries of the Seminole Nation Reservation.
Federal Bureau of Investigation agents and staff from the Office of the Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector conducted the investigation leading to this charge. U.S. Magistrate Judge Gerald L. Jackson accepted Burgess’s plea and ordered a presentence investigation report. Sentencing will be determined by a U.S. District Court Judge after consideration of federal guidelines and statutory factors. Burgess was released on bond while awaiting sentencing.
The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma leads federal criminal investigations and prosecutions in eastern Oklahoma as well as managing civil actions for the United States government; it also collects federal debts and supports trust responsibilities to Tribal Nations across its jurisdiction according to its official website. This office is unique as it represents the only federal judicial district located entirely within Indian country according to its official website.
Operational facilities are maintained in Muskogee according to its official website, with coverage extending over 26 counties including Adair, Atoka, Bryan, among others according to its official website. The office advances community wellness through upholding federal trust responsibilities with sovereign Tribal Nations according to its official website.
