MUSKOGEE, OK – A convicted felon from Idabel, Oklahoma is heading to federal prison after being caught with a loaded handgun. Cedric Jamara Cherry, 42, was sentenced to 15 months behind bars for possessing a .40 S&W pistol and ammunition, despite a prior felony conviction that legally barred him from owning either.
The case unfolded after investigators with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives began looking into Cherry’s activities. On March 15, 2023, authorities discovered Cedric Jamara Cherry in possession of the loaded weapon. The discovery triggered the federal charge, as possessing a firearm after a felony conviction is a serious offense.
According to court documents, the previous felony conviction disqualified Cedric Jamara Cherry from legally owning a firearm. Federal law prohibits anyone convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison from possessing guns or ammunition. The specific details of the prior conviction weren’t immediately released.
Cedric Jamara Cherry pleaded guilty to the charge on August 8, 2023, acknowledging his illegal possession of the firearm. He appeared before Chief Judge Ronald A. White of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma for sentencing. The judge ordered that Cedric Jamara Cherry be remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals.
Cherry will be transported to a designated facility run by the United States Bureau of Prisons to begin serving his 15-month, non-parolable sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Patrick M. Flanigan prosecuted the case, bringing the charges and securing the conviction against Cedric Jamara Cherry. The ATF’s Dallas Field Division assisted in the investigation.
This case underscores the ATF and federal prosecutors’ ongoing efforts to keep firearms out of the hands of convicted felons. The Eastern District of Oklahoma, like many rural areas, faces challenges with illegal firearms trafficking, and this conviction sends a clear message that such activity will be aggressively pursued.
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