MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – Kent Matthew Stapp, 34, of Okmulgee County, Oklahoma, is facing federal prison time after a jury found him guilty of one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm & Ammunition. The swift trial concluded yesterday, March 13, 2023, leaving Stapp in custody awaiting sentencing.
The case unfolded from a routine traffic stop on February 11, 2022, when Okmulgee law enforcement discovered outstanding arrest warrants for Stapp. When officers moved to arrest him, Stapp bolted, attempting to evade capture. He was quickly apprehended, and a search revealed he was carrying a loaded firearm – a clear violation of federal law given his prior felony conviction.
Evidence presented in court included damning body camera footage from the arrest, undeniably showing Stapp, a convicted felon, in possession of both the weapon and ammunition. The prosecution, led by Assistant United States Attorneys Genevieve Ozark and Jarrod Leaman, hammered home the point that Stapp’s actions posed a significant risk to public safety.
The investigation was a collaborative effort between the Okmulgee County Sheriff’s Office, the Okmulgee Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma took the lead on prosecution, citing both the federal nature of the crime and the fact that Stapp is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe, with the offense occurring within the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation.
U.S. District Judge Ronald A. White presided over the trial and has ordered a presentence report to be completed before sentencing is scheduled. Stapp remains in the custody of the United States Marshal Service. The length of his sentence remains to be determined, but as a convicted felon illegally possessing a firearm, he’s almost certain to receive a substantial prison term.
This case underscores the ongoing federal efforts to keep firearms out of the hands of those legally prohibited from owning them. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, under the leadership of Christopher J. Wilson, continues to prioritize cases involving violent crime and illegal firearms possession within its jurisdiction.
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