MUSKOGEE, OK – Lawrence Eugene Blue, 65, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, is headed back to prison after a judge handed down a 27-month sentence for illegally possessing a firearm. Blue was already under court supervision when the .22 caliber revolver and ammunition were discovered, a clear violation of his supervised release terms.
The case, investigated jointly by the U.S. Probation Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), revealed Blue’s criminal history made him legally prohibited from owning any firearms. He’d previously been convicted on a federal drug conspiracy charge, a felony that stripped him of his Second Amendment rights.
On December 1, 2022, a routine check by a U.S. Probation Officer uncovered the weapon. Blue immediately admitted to possessing the firearm. This wasn’t a case of mistaken identity or a forgotten antique; it was a brazen disregard for the law, according to court documents.
Blue pleaded guilty on June 7, 2023, to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm. The 27-month sentence handed down by Chief Judge Ronald A. White of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma will run concurrently with an existing 18-month sentence for violating the terms of his supervised release, effectively stacking the penalties.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Gross successfully prosecuted the case, demonstrating the federal government’s commitment to keeping guns out of the hands of convicted felons. Blue will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals until transferred to a Bureau of Prisons facility to begin serving his non-parolable sentence.
This case underscores the continued vigilance of federal law enforcement in Oklahoma. While a relatively short sentence, the message is clear: repeat offenders, especially those involving firearms, will face consequences. Blue’s attempt to skirt the law has cost him years of his freedom, and serves as a warning to others contemplating similar actions.
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