Tahlequah man sentenced for federal firearm conviction

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that a Tahlequah man was sentenced to prison for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Billy Eugene Shepard Jr., 42, was sentenced to four years in prison.

Charges against Shepard arose after a probe by the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

On Nov. 1, 2023, Shepard pleaded guilty to one count of felon in possession of firearm and ammunition. Shepard admitted to knowingly possessing a firearm and ammunition after he was convicted of a crime that was punishable by more than one year imprisonment.

Honorable Judge Ronald A. White presided over the hearing and Shepard was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Edith Singer prosecuted the case.