Charley Lee Buckhorn, a 50-year-old resident of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, has been sentenced to 46 months in prison for illegal possession of firearms. The sentence was announced by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The case stemmed from an investigation involving the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department, the District 27 Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Buckhorn had pleaded guilty on June 10, 2024. Authorities reported that on November 15, 2023, law enforcement officers executing arrest warrants found Buckhorn with a loaded AR-15 rifle, a loaded 9mm pistol, and various rounds of ammunition. Buckhorn was aware he was prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior conviction carrying a sentence exceeding one year.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. Since May 26, 2021, PSN has focused on building community trust and legitimacy, supporting organizations that prevent violence, prioritizing strategic enforcement actions, and evaluating outcomes.
Chief U.S. District Judge Ronald A. White presided over the sentencing hearing at the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. Buckhorn will remain in custody under the U.S. Marshals Service until his transfer to a designated federal prison facility where he will serve his non-paroleable sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Howanitz represented the government in this case.