Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

A six-time convicted violent felon who was found in possession of a sawed-off rifle was sentenced today in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III sentenced Devante Joe-Joe Youngblood, 27, of Stroud, to 96 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. In October 2020, Youngblood pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Youngblood was found in possession of a Henry Repeating Arms Co .22LR caliber weapon made from a rifle on July 15, 2020. Youngblood was previously convicted of second degree rape, possession of a controlled dangerous substance, assault and battery on a police officer, attempted escape from custody, assault with a dangerous weapon, and escape from arrest and detention. Relevant conduct was also cited by the Government at the defendant’s plea hearing and sentencing. The Government alleged specific facts related to a shooting or attempted shooting and robbery involving Youngblood and the firearm prior to his arrest by law enforcement.

“Devante Youngblood was a gun-wielding alpha criminal who repeatedly put others at risk. He is a danger to our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Felons like Youngblood are the reason why our 2150 Initiative prosecutions are so important. This conviction is a result of the good work of the ATF, Stroud and Bristow Police Departments, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cymetra Williams. Today, Youngblood’s actions have landed him in prison for the next eight years where he can no longer terrorize fellow Oklahomans.”

The Bristow Police Department, Stroud Police Department, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cymetra M. Williams prosecuted the case. Ms. Williams is a prosecutor from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of New Jersey. She volunteered to assist prosecution efforts here in the Northern District of Oklahoma due to the increased volume of cases since the Supreme Court’s ruling which stated the Creek Nation Reservation had never been officially disestablished by Congress. The United States and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation have jurisdiction of all cases that occur on the reservation involving Native American victims or defendants.

This case was prosecuted as part of the 2150 Initiative. The collaborative law enforcement initiative 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 combats 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.

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