Jacob Nolan Jessup, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Oklahoma 2022

TULSA, OK – Jacob Nolan Jessup, 35, a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, will spend the next 71 months in federal prison after being sentenced for illegally possessing firearms, despite a lengthy criminal history. U.S. District Judge Terence C. Kern handed down the sentence Tuesday, followed by three years of supervised release.

The case against Jessup stems from two separate incidents. The first occurred in March 2022 when Tulsa Police responded to a 911 call regarding a suspicious vehicle. Officers found Jessup asleep inside, and a tense encounter ensued. After initially attempting to shut the vehicle door on responding officers, Jessup exited the vehicle and admitted to having a suspended driver’s license. A search revealed an empty holster on his waistband and a loaded handgun inside the car – later confirmed to be stolen from Broken Arrow.

Less than five months later, in August 2020, Jessup found himself again in the crosshairs of law enforcement. Tulsa Police officers responded to a reported assault in progress and observed Jessup walking away from the scene. Witnesses reported seeing him discard an object into a nearby dumpster. That object turned out to be another loaded firearm.

Jessup was indicted in October 2022 and ultimately pleaded guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The repeated offenses, and the fact that one of the weapons was stolen, clearly weighed heavily on Judge Kern’s sentencing decision. The 71-month sentence reflects the seriousness of arming a convicted felon with illegal weapons.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Tulsa Police Department jointly investigated the case, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Dunn leading the prosecution. This prosecution was conducted under the umbrella of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a federal program aimed at reducing violent crime through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and local communities.

The Department of Justice relaunched PSN in 2017, emphasizing a targeted approach to violent criminals. Jessup will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility. The case serves as a stark reminder that those with prior convictions who illegally possess firearms will face significant federal penalties.

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