Area residents sentenced for federal crimes
Dec. 30—Two area residents were recently sentenced to serve time in the federal prison system for separate crimes.
William Parker Gray, 34, Sulphur, was sentenced to serve 151 months (about 12.5 years) in prison for "possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine."
The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Murray County Sheriff's Office.
Gray pleaded guilty on Dec. 12, 2022, to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to investigators, on Oct. 11, 2022, Murray County sheriff's deputies conducted a traffic stop and discovered Gray in possession of over 300 grams of methamphetamine, firearms, and a large sum of U.S. currency.
Ronald A. White, chief judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings in Muskogee. Gray will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States.
Also in federal court, a Hughes County man was sentenced to serve time in prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm.
Kotah Ray Armstrong, 30, Holdenville, was sentenced to 12 months in prison for one count of "felon in possession of a firearm."
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives and the Oklahoma Department of Corrections Office of Probation and Parole.
On Nov. 10, 2022, Armstrong pleaded guilty to one count of felon in possession of a firearm.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, on April 7, 2022, during a home visitation by Oklahoma DOC Probation and Parole officers, Armstrong was discovered to be in possession of a 12-gauge pump action shotgun.
Armstrong admitted to possessing the shotgun despite knowing he was prohibited from possessing firearms as a convicted felon.
Armstrong will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Satter represented the United States.
