Fort Gibson Man Pleads Guilty to Theft in Indian Country

Jimmy Dewayne Wheat, 39, of Fort Gibson, Oklahoma, pled guilty to embezzlement and theft in Indian Country, admitting to stealing tools belonging to a Native American on tribal land. The crime, prosecuted under federal jurisdiction, carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine.

The theft occurred on or about December 7, 2015, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, within recognized Indian Country. Wheat, a non-Indian, took an air compressor, a hammer, a roofing hammer, bottle jacks, ten screwdrivers, two nail bars, and gloves—property valued at less than $1,000.00. The items were unlawfully removed with clear intent to steal and purloin.

Charges were filed under Title 18, United States Code, Sections 661 and 1152, which govern theft involving Native American property in federal Indian Country. The case was investigated jointly by the Creek Nation Lighthorse Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, underscoring the cross-jurisdictional nature of crimes on tribal land.

Wheat entered his guilty plea before the Honorable Steven P. Shreder, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee. Judge Shreder accepted the plea and ordered a presentence investigation report, a standard step before formal sentencing.

Sentencing is pending completion of the report, with no date yet scheduled. As a non-Indian committing a crime against Native American property in Indian Country, Wheat falls squarely under federal prosecution guidelines, reinforcing federal authority in tribal justice matters.

Special Assistant United States Attorney Shelly Harrison prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. The outcome highlights ongoing federal efforts to enforce criminal statutes in Indian Country, where local and federal law enforcement often collaborate to ensure accountability.

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