Tahlequah man sentenced 10 years for federal drug and firearm crimes

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that a Tahlequah man was sentenced to prison for one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of felon in possession of firearm and ammunition.

Ricky Dale Degase, 30, was sentenced to 120 months for the drug charge and 120 months for the firearm charge. Those sentences are to be served concurrently.

The charges against Degase arose after a probe by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office.

According to investigators, Degase was arrested March 7, 2023 during a traffic stop when an OHP trooper discovered he was in possession of a loaded pistol. The trooper also located 22.36 grams of meth.

Honorable Judge Ronald A. White presided over the hearing and Degase 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 T. Cameron McEwen prosecuted the case.