Federal Jury Convicts Okmulgee Resident Of Attempted Murder, Child Abuse, And Child Neglect

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that JOHN RAY COLLINS, JR., age forty-eight, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, was convicted at trial by a federal jury of one count of Attempted Murder, two counts of Child Abuse, and one count of Child Neglect.

The jury trial began with testimony on November 13, 2023, and concluded on November 17, 2023, with the guilty verdict.

During the trial, the United States presented evidence that between January 1, 2023, and June 12, 2023, Collins abused two children, that he attempted to murder one child, and that he failed to provide food, water, medical care, and sanitary living conditions to that same child, all while responsible for their health, welfare, and safety.  The crimes occurred in Okmulgee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

On October 24, 2023, Collins’ co-defendant, TAMBARA LORENE COLLINS, age thirty-seven, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to two counts of Child Abuse, and one count of Child Neglect.

The guilty verdicts were the result of an investigation by the Okmulgee County Sheriff’s Office, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The Honorable John F. Heil, U.S. District Court Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the trial in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and ordered the completion of a presentence report.  Sentencing will be scheduled following the completion of the report.  John Ray Collins, Jr. was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorneys Caila M. Cleary and Sarah McAmis represented the United States.