Norman J. Couch, Jr., a 49-year-old resident of Mead, Oklahoma, has been sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for the crime of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. This announcement was made by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The investigation leading to these charges involved collaboration between the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the Durant Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. On October 8, 2024, Couch entered a guilty plea for possessing a firearm and ammunition illegally. Investigators reported that on January 18, 2024, Couch was found with a .380ACP caliber semi-automatic pistol and four rounds of matching ammunition after having been previously convicted of an offense punishable by more than one year in prison.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence through cooperation between law enforcement agencies and communities. The initiative focuses on building trust within communities, supporting organizations that prevent violence before it occurs, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and evaluating outcomes.
Chief U.S. District Judge Ronald A. White presided over the hearing at the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. Couch will remain under the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until he is transported to a designated facility within the United States Bureau of Prisons to serve his sentence without parole eligibility.