In late April, two defendants pleaded guilty to federal drug and firearms charges. The pleas were entered in the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
According to media reports, the first defendant, a 40-year-old resident of Tahlequah, was accused of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and possessing a firearm and ammunition on or around Nov. 9. He was additionally charged with possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute on or about Feb. 17. As part of a plea deal, he pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. If convicted, he could face up to 60 years in prison for the possession charges and 10 years in prison for the firearms charge. He could also be fined up to $250,000. The case was investigated by law enforcement agents from the Tahlequah Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the District 27 Task Force.
The second defendant, a 46-year-old Tahlequah resident, was charged with being in possession of a 9mm semi-automatic pistol around Nov. 7. He pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a firearm in the furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. If convicted, he will face at least five years in prison.
Individuals charged with drug possession, drug trafficking or other drug crimes might help their situation by exercising their right to remain silent and contacting a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. The attorney may stay by a defendant’s side during all police questioning and ensure that his or her rights are protected. Legal counsel may also be able to investigate the case, develop a defense and work to get the charges reduced or dropped.
Source: Tahlequah Daily Press, “Two Tahlequah men plead guilty in drug crimes,” May 1, 2019
