Jeffery Ryan Black, 29, of Wewoka, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty on July 15 to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, Black admitted to knowingly possessing a semi-automatic rifle, 65 rounds of ammunition, and three cartridge casings on January 23 after previously being convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment. The offense carries a potential sentence of up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case resulted from an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted Black’s plea and ordered a presentence investigation report. Sentencing will be determined by a U.S. District Court Judge following consideration of federal sentencing guidelines and statutory factors.
Black will remain in custody with the United States Marshals Service until sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the government during proceedings.
The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma advances community wellness through federal trust responsibilities to sovereign Tribal Nations; maintains operational facilities in Muskogee; functions under the United States Department of Justice; handles federal criminal investigations, prosecutions, civil litigation and debt collection for the government; represents the only federal judicial district fully within Indian country; and covers 26 counties including Adair and Atoka counties in eastern Oklahoma, according to its official website.