Jonathan Gage Wiedel, a 19-year-old resident of Muskogee, Oklahoma, has been sentenced to 45 years in prison for aggravated sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Wiedel was sentenced to 540 months in prison for each of the 12 counts he faced. These terms will be served concurrently and will be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release.
The charges were the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office. Wiedel pleaded guilty on September 9, 2024, to twelve counts from a Superseding Indictment. He admitted that between August 2022 and February 2024, while working as a teacher’s assistant at St. Joseph’s Catholic School in Muskogee, he sexually abused four children under twelve years old. The incidents took place within Muskogee County, which is part of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater stated, “The defendant used his position of trust as a teacher’s assistant to prey on the most innocent and vulnerable members of our society.” He emphasized that safeguarding children and families is among the FBI's top priorities.
U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Wilson remarked, “Today’s sentence reflects the unwavering commitment of federal prosecutors and local and federal law enforcement to seek justice for victims and hold the defendant accountable for his reprehensible actions.” He reaffirmed the office's dedication to protecting children and ensuring community safety.
Chief U.S. District Judge Ronald A. White presided over the hearing at the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. Wiedel will remain with the U.S. Marshals Service until he is transported to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility where he will serve his non-paroleable sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Pippin represented the United States during this case.