Tahlequah Resident Sentenced for Felon in Possession of Firearm

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – A Tahlequah resident has been sentenced to 49 months in prison for a federal firearm conviction.

Billy Eugene Shepard Jr., age 42, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was handed down the sentence by the Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The charges against Shepard arose from investigations by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

On November 1, 2023, Shepard pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition, a charge he admitted to knowingly possessing a firearm and ammunition after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

Assistant United States Attorney Edith Singer represented the United States in the case.

Shepard will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

The harsh sentence handed down to Shepard is a stark reminder that violating federal firearm laws will not be taken lightly in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma remains committed to keeping the public safe from those who would recklessly disregard the law.