Kaleb Thomas Linville, Armed Robbery, Oklahoma 2022

MUSKOGEE, OK – A quiet morning fishing trip turned into a nightmare for one Oklahoma man when he was targeted by Kaleb Thomas Linville, 24, of Stilwell. Linville was sentenced to 120 months – ten years – in federal prison after pleading guilty to Using, Carrying, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.

The brutal robbery unfolded in the early hours of March 4, 2022, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation in Adair County. According to investigators with the Adair County Sheriff’s Office, the Cherokee Nation Marshal’s Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Linville approached the fisherman and immediately brandished a semi-automatic rifle. He then forced the victim into the water, fired a round, and struck him with the butt of the weapon.

The attack didn’t stop there. Linville proceeded to steal the fisherman’s phone, wallet, and car keys before fleeing the scene in the stolen vehicle. The victim, left shaken and injured, provided crucial details that led to Linville’s swift apprehension and eventual conviction. The brazenness of the crime, committed in broad daylight, shocked local residents and prompted a coordinated investigation.

“You wake up bright and early to go fishing and meet the likes of Mr. Linville; it’s not the big fish story anyone should have to tell,” stated ATF Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II. “Mr. Linville’s behavior was violent and aggressive; two adjectives that don’t go well with firearm possession. Because of his thoughtless actions, he gets to spend 10 years in federal prison.” Boshek also commended the collaborative efforts of the Adair County Sheriff’s Office, Cherokee Nation Marshal’s Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Wilson echoed the sentiment, emphasizing his office’s commitment to prosecuting those who endanger communities with firearms. “This office is committed to vigorously prosecuting those who disrupt the safety and security of our communities, especially when defendants use firearms to perpetrate their crimes,” Wilson stated. U.S. District Judge John F. Heil, III, presided over the sentencing hearing in Muskogee.

Linville will be transferred to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve his non-parolable sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Gross successfully prosecuted the case. This conviction serves as a harsh reminder that violent crime, particularly those involving firearms, will be met with the full force of federal law. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on further developments.

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