A Broken Arrow man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court for possessing a firearm in furtherance of cocaine distribution crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Neville David Ewell, 45, of Broken Arrow, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. In a signed plea agreement, Ewell admitted that on March 8, 2019, he knowingly and intentionally possessed cocaine with intent to distribute and maintained a premises for the purpose of drug trafficking. He further admitted to possessing a Beretta, 9x19mm semi-automatic pistol to further his drug trafficking crimes.

Officers from the Tulsa Police Department’s Organized Gang Unit executed a search warrant based on probable cause that Ewell was storing proceeds from illegal drug sales at a Tulsa address. While officers attempted to gain entry, Ewell tried to destroy evidence. Upon entry, officers discovered a plastic baggie containing 5 grams of cocaine base, other empty plastic baggies, a digital scale, and other evidence of drug trafficking. Officers further discovered the loaded Beretta semi-automatic pistol.

“Drugs and guns are a lethal combination that often lead to violence. Together, they oppress our community by spreading addiction, fear and pain. They cause harm to families, businesses and neighborhoods,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Oklahomans deserve better, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will do its part to keep our neighborhoods safe and our business districts thriving.”

U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan set sentencing for March 11, 2020. Ewell faces a minimum sentence of five years in federal prison, a maximum of five years supervised release and a fine not to exceed $250,000.

The Tulsa Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Duncombe is prosecuting the case.

United States Attorney Trent Shores announced today the results of the September 2019 Federal Grand Jury B.

The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.

Christian Alvarado Morales; Anderson Garces Lopez. Conspiracy to Transfer Identification Documents; Aggravated Identity Theft; Possession With Intent to Use and Transfer Five or More Documents and Authentication Features; Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien. Alvarado, 30, and Garces, 29, both of Tulsa, are charged with conspiring to create and sell fraudulent identification cards, including falsified U.S. Permanent Resident Cards and U.S. Social Security Cards. Garces is also charged with two counts of aggravated identity theft. Alvarado is also charged with three counts of aggravated  identity theft, and he is charged with possession with intent to transfer five or more falsified identification documents. Alvarado is further charged with reentry of a removed alien, having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported March 25, 2008, at or near Laredo, Texas. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations are the investigative agencies.

Ivan Arroyo. Interstate Communication With Intent to Extort. Arroyo, 27, of Broken Arrow, is charged with extortion using social media. Arroyo allegedly threatened to harm the reputation of another individual if the victim did not comply with his demands. The Cherokee Nation Marshal Service and FBI are the investigative Agencies.

Paul B. Bowker. Failure to Account for and Pay Over Withholding and FICA (Social Security and Medicare) Taxes (7 counts); Bank Fraud (100 counts). Bowker, 56, of Lancashire, United Kingdom, was chief financial officer and vice president for finance at a company that maintained offices in the Northern District of Oklahoma. While working in this position, Bowker was living in Tulsa. Per United States tax law, the company was responsible for withholding income taxes and FICA taxes from employees’ paychecks and for paying the monies over to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Bowker is charged with failure to collect and pay more than 3.6 million in income and FICA taxes from April 2014 through January 2016. In addition, Bowker is charged with 100 counts of bank fraud. As chief financial officer, Bowker was entrusted with a company credit card and was responsible for paying the monthly credit card bill by authorizing electronic transfer of funds from the company’s checking account at Mabrey Bank, in Bixby, to the company’s Visa account. From January 2014 through December 2015, Bowker is alleged to have fraudulently used the Visa credit card to make $130,000 worth of purchases for his own benefit then paying for those charges with the company’s checking account at Mabrey Bank. The IRS Criminal Investigation Division and FBI are the investigative agencies.

Neville David Ewell and Larry Latwan Walker. Possession of Cocaine With Intent to Distribute; Maintain Drug-Involved Premises; Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition; Destruction or Removal of Property to Prevent Seizure; Unlawful User of Controlled Substances in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition; Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Methamphetamine With Intent to Distribute; Possession of Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crimes; and Destruction or Removal of Property to Prevent Seizure (Superseding Indictment).  Ewell, 45, of Broken Arrow, is charged with possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and maintaining a drug-involved premises. Ewell is alleged to have used and maintained a premises in Tulsa for the purpose of manufacturing, distributing, and using cocaine. He is also charged with being a felon in possession of a Pietro Beretta 9x19mm caliber semi-automatic pistol and ammunition. Walker, 29, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol and ammunition; and he is charged with possessing the Smith & Wesson pistol knowing he was an unlawful user of a controlled substance.  Walker is further charged with possessing the Smith & Wesson pistol in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. Ewell and Walker are both charged with conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Both men are further charged with possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute; and they are charged with destroying, damaging, or removing property to prevent its seizure by law enforcement. The Tulsa Police Department, FBI, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.

Richard Blake Holbrook. Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor. Holbrook, 23, of Bristow, is charged with attempting to persuade and entice an individual whom he believed to be a minor to engage in sexual activity.  The Bristow Police Department is the investigative agency.

Edward Leiva-Alvarez. Drug Conspiracy. Leiva-Alvarez, 37, residing at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, is charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Grand River Dam Authority and Miami Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Early Livestock. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Livestock, 48, of Tulsa, is charged with failing to register as a sex offender since July 2, 2018.  The U.S. Marshals Service and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Clinton Eugene Rose. Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Rose, 43, of Cleveland, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Hi-Point .45ACP caliber semi-automatic pistol. According to the Indictment, Rose has previously been convicted of 24 different felonies. The Tulsa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative authorities.

Lucas Shane Vann. Sexual Exploitation of a Child (Superseding Indictment).  Vann, 19, of Salina, is charged with knowingly producing an image of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office and FBI are the investigative agencies.

Jalil Charles Edward West. Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. West, 30, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Zastava 7.62X39mm semi-automatic pistol and 70 rounds of associated ammunition. The Tulsa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.