Tahlequah Man Pleads Guilty To Possession Of Unregistered Firearm (Destructive Device)

Muskogee, Oklahoma - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced that JOBY TUCSON NORTHINGTON, age 34, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, pled guilty to POSSESSION OF UNREGISTERED FIREARM (DESTRUCTIVE DEVICE), in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Sections 5861(d), 5841 and 5871.

The charge is a result of an investigation by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The defendant was indicted in July, 2014.

The Indictment alleged that on or about April 12, 2014, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant did knowingly possess a destructive device, which is a firearm, as defined in Title 26, United States Code, Section 5845, not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.

The Honorable Kimberly E. West, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. The defendant will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.

The statutory range of punishment is up to 10 years imprisonment, and/or up to a $250,000.00 fine.

Assistant United States Attorney Chris Wilson represented the United States.