Man Pleads Guilty to Felon in Possession of a Firearm

 A man pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Thomas Jason Smith, 40, pleaded guilty this morning before Chief U.S. District Judge John E. Dowdell. Smith is a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. His sentencing is set for April 14, 2021.

According to court documents, Smith was picked up by a friend in a stolen vehicle and taken to a hotel where they met up with several others. Tulsa Police Officers located the stolen vehicle at the hotel, observed several individuals exit the vehicle and enter a room, and then made contact with the group. In the hotel room, narcotics and multiple firearms were found. After a search of the stolen vehicle, officers discovered a .12 gauge shotgun in the back seat. In his plea agreement, Smith admitted that on August 8, 2020 he knowingly possessed a Tri-Star .12 gauge semi-automatic shotgun. He stated that he knew that his possession of the firearm was prohibited due to his criminal history.

“A stolen vehicle, illicit drugs, and guns are never a good combination, especially when those guns are possessed by a convicted felon,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Thanks to some great police work, Thomas Smith was caught in the midst of a number of crimes. Following a thorough investigation by the FBI and Tulsa Police, Thomas Smith admitted his guilt and accepted responsibility for his actions. This is another success story for our 2150 Initiative as we removed more illegally possessed guns from the street.”

The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cymetra M. Williams and Jeffrey A. Gallant are prosecuting the case.

The 2150 Initiative is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma, Tulsa Police Department, ATF, and all other local, state, tribal and federal law enforcement partners to combat violent crime by focusing efforts on prohibited persons in possession of firearms as well as those responsible as the “source” of the firearms to prohibited persons. The initiative was named in memory of Tulsa Police Sergeant Craig Johnson. Sgt. Johnson’s badge number, 2150, was selected for the initiative as a way to honor his life and his commitment to the Tulsa community. This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.