Western District of Oklahoma Continues Dangerous Drug and Violent-Crime Prosecutions During Federal Funding Lapse

OKLAHOMA CITY – During the lapse in government funding, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma continued its essential mission to protect Oklahoma communities from dangerous drugs and violent crime. Below are several sentencings in separate and unrelated cases that were finalized during this period.

BREON MONTE BELLAMY, 36, of Lawton, was sentenced to serve 156 months in federal prison, followed by six years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl and drug conspiracy. According to public record, on August 21, 2023, Bellamy sold fentanyl to REECY ANN BENCH, 22, at a casino in Lawton, Oklahoma. Bench then gave a portion of the fentanyl to JOANIE ANN WILSON, 38, while still at the casino. The federal investigation suggested that some of this fentanyl was then distributed to another Stephens County resident, who died of fentanyl and methamphetamine toxicity on August 23, 2023. Both Bench and Wilson have previously been sentenced after pleading guilty to drug conspiracy, with Bench receiving 42 months and Wilson receiving 54 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release for each.

ANDRES MICHI GENTRY, 20, of Purcell, was sentenced to serve 70 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of an unregistered firearm. According to public record, on April 2, 2024, Gentry assaulted a victim at their home and fired at officers with the Purcell Police Department who had responded to the home. Following Gentry’s arrest, officers executed a search warrant at his home and recovered a modified shotgun.

MARIO MANZO, 39, of California, was sentenced to serve 37 months in federal prison for assault on a federal officer. In August 2023, Manzo was incarcerated at the Federal Transfer Center (FTC) in Oklahoma City, where he was serving a 60-month sentence for importation of methamphetamine out of the Southern District of California. According to public record, on August 29, 2023, while incarcerated at the FTC, Manzo struck an FTC employee in the face.

PHILBERT QUENTIN MCCOY, JR., 23, of Dallas, Texas, was sentenced to serve 147 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of black-market marijuana with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to public record, McCoy was arrested on several occasions in Oklahoma for picking up distribution quantities of black-market marijuana. In January 2024, McCoy was stopped by Oklahoma Highway Patrol in possession of 83 kilograms of marijuana, $87,645, and multiple firearms. In March 2024, Oklahoma City Police encountered McCoy at short term rental property which was being used as a marijuana stash house. McCoy fled from the scene and struck a patrol vehicle causing injuries to one officer before he was apprehended. McCoy was in possession of $127,555 and a firearm along with approximately 96 kilograms of marijuana in the residence.

ADAM ROUSE,33, BRENDAN SHANE HOLDER, 32, DAMION BLAIR BRADLEY GEORGE, 31, and KRISTOPHER HAUSER, 32, all of Oklahoma City, were collectively sentenced to serve more than 520 months in federal prison for maiming in aid of racketeering activities of the Irish Mob Gang. The Irish Mob Gang is an enterprise engaged in, among other things, the distribution of controlled substances, firearms trafficking, and acts of violence. According to the Indictment, for purposes of gaining entrance to and maintaining and increasing their position within the Irish Mob Gang, Rouse and Holder severed a victim’s right pinkie finger with a hatchet, while Holder, George, and Hauser all participated in the burning of a gang tattoo off the back of a victim’s head with a heated machete.  As a result, Rouse received a 108-month sentence, Holder a 120-month sentence, George a 180-month sentence, and Hauser a 120-month sentence. Each defendant received a three-year term of supervised release.

STEPHEN SCHERER, 46, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 240 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to public record, on September 27, 2024, police found almost 4 kilograms of methamphetamine, a small amount of fentanyl pills, digital scales, a large amount of U.S. currency, and a firearm at a hotel where Scherer had been staying and using as a base of operations for a significant drug trafficking operation. Public record further reflects that Scherer has previous felony convictions in Oklahoma County District Court that include larceny of an automobile and attempting to elude a police officer in case number CF-1997-2287, larceny from a person after former felony conviction in case number CF-2002-2765, and conspiracy to manufacture, attempting to manufacture, and possession of methamphetamine and child endangerment in case number CF-2004-3939.

BRUCE LAWAYNE TALLEY, JR., 40, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 135 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. According to public record, on July 12, 2024, Talley was seen picking up a brown cardboard box from a residence in Oklahoma City. After a traffic stop, Talley fled, leading the police on a high-speed pursuit which reached speeds of over 100 miles per hour. Talley was eventually stopped and taken into custody. The brown cardboard box was recovered from near the area where Talley was eventually stopped and contained over 750 grams of fentanyl pills.

LADON TREVAUGHN TURNER, 33, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 137 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegal possession of a firearm after a previous felony conviction and unlawful possession of a machinegun. According to public record, on January 1, 2025, Turner was involved in a shootout with others in Bricktown. Surveillance video showed Turner firing approximately nine rounds in the direction of the opposing group. After executing a search warrant at Turner’s home, officers with the Oklahoma City Police Department located a firearm used in the Bricktown shooting, as well as a 3D-printed machinegun conversion device (MCD). When installed, MCDs convert semi-automatic weapons into fully automatic machineguns, and possession of the devices violates federal law. Public record further reflects that Turner has previous felony convictions in Oklahoma County District Court that include second degree burglary in case number CF-2013-1969, possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute and possession of a controlled dangerous substance in the presence of a child under 12 years of age in case number CF-2015-593, and possession of a firearm while on probation after former felony conviction in case number CF-2017-1655.

XAVIER JORDAN WHITESIDE, 28, of Odessa, Texas, was sentenced to serve 60 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegal possession of a firearm after a previous felony conviction. According to public record, on January 19, 2025, officers with the Mooreland Police Department responded to Whiteside’s home on a domestic violence call involving the discharge of a firearm. At the home, officers located a loaded gun belonging to Whiteside under the covers of a bed. Public record further reflects that Whiteside has previous felony convictions in Texas for unauthorized use of a vehicle, possession of a prohibited weapon, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

These cases are the result of investigations by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Oklahoma City Police Department, the Norman Police Department, the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office, and the Mooreland Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth M. Bagwell, Tiffany Edgmon, Stephen Hoch, Elizabeth Joynes, David McCrary, Mary E. Walters, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Laney Ellis prosecuted the cases.

Reference is made to public filings for additional information.