OKLAHOMA CITY – Efrain Urias, 37, of Oklahoma City, is headed to federal prison for seven years after being caught with firearms on three separate occasions in just six months, despite already being a convicted felon. The sentencing, handed down yesterday by U.S. District Judge Charles Goodwin, underscores a blatant disregard for the law and a pattern of escalating criminal behavior.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), alongside the Oklahoma City Police Department, built the case against Urias, charging him with three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The charges stemmed from incidents on October 24, 2021, March 19, 2022, and April 8, 2022 – each time, Urias was found with a different illegal weapon.
Urias pleaded guilty in October 2022 to all three counts. During yesterday’s sentencing hearing, Judge Goodwin didn’t mince words, citing the compressed timeframe of the offenses and Urias’s extensive criminal history as key factors in the 84-month sentence. The judge made clear that repeated offenses demonstrate a continued threat to public safety.
Court records reveal a disturbing history for Urias. He’s previously been convicted of burglary in the second degree in Oklahoma County (case number CF-2005-6838) and, in Kingfisher County (case number CF-2015-31), faced charges for possession of methamphetamine, assault and battery on a police officer. This latest conviction adds to a growing list of offenses, painting a picture of a career criminal.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary E. Walters prosecuted the case, securing the seven-year sentence and three years of supervised release that will follow. The case is part of the Western District of Oklahoma’s participation in Project Safe Neighborhoods, a Department of Justice initiative aimed at reducing gun violence by aggressively enforcing federal firearms laws.
The ATF’s Dallas Field Division spearheaded the investigation, highlighting the agency’s ongoing commitment to cracking down on illegal gun possession. While Urias is now behind bars, the case serves as a stark reminder of the challenges law enforcement faces in keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of convicted felons and the consequences for those who repeatedly break the law.
Related Federal Cases
- Lequevin Kelley, Illegal Firearm Possession, Oklahoma City 2023 · Oklahoma
- Michael Campbell, Illegal Firearm Possession, Oklahoma City, 2023 · Oklahoma
- Jacob Horwitz, Illegal Firearm Possession, Oklahoma City 2023 · Oklahoma
- Tory Drew Deere, Illegal Firearm Possession, Oklahoma City 2023 · Oklahoma
- Jesse Lee Fish, Illegal Firearm Possession, Oklahoma 2024 · Oklahoma
Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free
Browse More
