Seven Individuals Indicted In McAlester Drug Conspiracy

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Bethany Lynn Kendall, age 28, of McAlester, Oklahoma; Steven Alan Phifer, age 40, of McAlester, Oklahoma; Dustin Lee Hall, age 31, of Savanna, Oklahoma; Dylan Joseph Dempsey, age 25, of Fort Smith, Arkansas; Conway Lee Kindle, age 43, of Stuart, Oklahoma; Dominic Alan Giaudrone, age 38, of Krebs, Oklahoma; and Angel Reanea Henderson, age 41, of Hartshorne, Oklahoma were each indicted for Drug Conspiracy, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), 841(b)(1)(B) and 841(b)(1)(C), punishable by not less than 10 years imprisonment, and up to a $10,000,000 fine or both, and numerous other violations of federal law. A copy of the full indictment can be found online at https://go.usa.gov/xnefa. 

The Indictment alleges that beginning in or about April 17, 2017, and continuing until on or about December 26, 2017, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendants, did willfully and knowingly combine, conspire, confederate and agree together, and with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to distribute methamphetamine in and around McAlester, Oklahoma and elsewhere.  

The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the United States Marshal’s Service, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the District 18 Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, the McAlester Police Department, the Seminole Nation Lighthorse Police, and the Savanna Police Department. 

United States Attorney Brian J. Kuester said, “This investigation was accomplished because of the cooperative efforts of many federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies. An investigation of this nature requires cumulatively thousands of hours of work by agents that are willing to make even more sacrifices to their personal lives than they ordinarily do. I commend each participating agency and agent that participated not only for their work, but for their recognition that public safety can be better achieved when agencies from multiple jurisdictions work together.”                 

District Attorney Charles B. “Chuck” Sullivan emphasized collaboration among the agencies involved as the key to the success of this investigation.  “My Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force’s primary function and purpose is to work with other agencies and either assist their investigations or lead them.  An investigation of this magnitude highlights the spirit of that collaboration and further validates the existence of and need for the District 18 Task Force.”

A grand jury Indictment does not constitute evidence of guilt.  A grand jury Indictment is a method of bringing formal charges against the defendant.  A defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and may not be found guilty unless evidence establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.