Christopher Steven Ledbetter, Unlawful Possession of a Machinegun, Oklahoma 2020

In a shocking turn of events, Christopher Steven Ledbetter, a 29-year-old resident of McLoud, Oklahoma, has been sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for unlawfully possessing a fully automatic machinegun.

The investigation began in March 2020, when the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) received information that Ledbetter might be in possession of a fully automatic machinegun. Following a review of publicly available materials on the internet, the FBI discovered that Ledbetter had posted videos showing himself shooting what appeared to be a fully automatic machinegun and making threatening statements towards law enforcement.

On June 4, 2020, the FBI encountered Ledbetter in Oklahoma City and found a fully automatic AK-47 style carbine machinegun in his vehicle. A search warrant was executed at Ledbetter’s residence in McLoud, where the FBI discovered two homemade grenades, two homemade Molotov Cocktails, and stolen firearms.

Ledbetter was arrested without incident and subsequently charged with unlawfully possessing a fully automatic machinegun, a violation of federal law. Federal law prohibits the possession of a fully automatic machinegun, except under limited circumstances.

On June 26, 2020, Ledbetter pleaded guilty to the charge. On December 17, 2020, U.S. District Judge Charles B. Goodwin sentenced Ledbetter to 57 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

The successful prosecution of this case demonstrates that those who put our communities at risk, especially through the unlawful possession of firearms, will be held accountable. The case was the result of a collaborative effort between the FBI Oklahoma City Division, the ATF Dallas Field Division, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Oklahoma City Police Department, the McLoud Police Department, and the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Dillon and Jessica Perry prosecuted the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and the ATF commend the law enforcement agencies involved in the case for their tireless efforts in bringing Ledbetter to justice.

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