Rachel Leah Sitton, also known as Rachel L. Sitton and Rachel Leah Chesser, pleaded guilty on Apr. 23 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of money laundering, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. Sitton, age 42 and a resident of Konawa, Oklahoma, faces up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine for the conspiracy charge, and up to ten years in prison with a $250,000 fine for money laundering.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities in eastern Oklahoma to address financial crimes that impact banks and government agencies. According to the indictment, from January through March 2021, Sitton conspired to obtain funds by false pretenses using interstate wire communications targeting Customers Bank and the Small Business Administration.
Prosecutors said that on or about March 18, 2021, Sitton conducted a monetary transaction involving criminally derived property—a cashier’s check worth $20,000—obtained through wire fraud. The investigation was carried out by IRS-Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson accepted Sitton's plea in federal court in Muskogee and ordered a presentence investigation report before sentencing is determined. Sentencing will be set by a U.S. District Court Judge after considering federal guidelines; meanwhile Sitton has been released on bond with conditions pending her sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States during these proceedings.
The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma leads federal criminal investigations and prosecutions in this region while managing civil actions for the United States; it also collects federal debts and supports trust responsibilities to Tribal Nations across its jurisdiction according to its official website. The office covers 26 counties including Adair and Atoka counties according to its official website, operates facilities in Muskogee according to its official website, functions under the Department of Justice according to its official website, handles both criminal investigations as well as civil litigation according to its official website, advances community wellness through federal trust responsibilities with sovereign Tribal Nations according to its official website, represents Indian country exclusively among all judicial districts nationwide according to its official website.
