An Okmulgee man has been sentenced to over three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to drug distribution and firearm possession charges, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

Richard Tyrone Dawson, 35, of Okmulgee, was sentenced to 41 months in prison for possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and an additional 41 months for being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge John F. Heil, III, ordered the sentences to run concurrently, meaning Dawson will serve both sentences at the same time.

The charges stemmed from an incident on October 16, 2023, when law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop on Dawson’s vehicle. During the stop, officers discovered Dawson had an outstanding arrest warrant issued by the Muscogee Nation. A subsequent search of his vehicle resulted in the seizure of approximately 29 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded .40 caliber pistol.

Dawson, who had previously been convicted of a felony offense punishable by more than one year in prison, was prohibited from possessing firearms. His prior conviction made his possession of the loaded handgun a federal offense.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in cooperation with the Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police. Dawson entered guilty pleas to both charges on October 8, 2024.

Following his sentencing, Dawson will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until he is transported to a designated facility within the United States Bureau of Prisons system, where he will serve his non-paroleable sentence.