An Okmulgee couple has been sentenced to a combined 48 years in federal prison for the severe abuse and neglect of children in their care, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced.
John Ray Collins Jr., 49, received a 30-year prison sentence for one count of attempted murder, two counts of child abuse, and one count of child neglect. His wife, Tambara Lorene Collins, 38, was sentenced to 18 years for two counts of child abuse and one count of child neglect. Both sentences will be followed by five years of supervised release.
The case, which was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Okmulgee County Sheriff ’s Office, and the Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Police, resulted in guilty verdicts and admissions of guilt for both defendants.
John Collins was convicted by a federal jury on November 17, 2023, while Tambara Collins pleaded guilty on October 24, 2023.
According to investigators, the abuse spanned nearly six months, from January 1, 2023, to June 12, 2023. Authorities found that the Collinses inflicted repeated physical abuse on two children, leaving them with bruises and abrasions on their faces, ears, backs, legs, and feet.
The violence escalated in mid-June 2023, when John Collins beat one of the children with a pipe, then denied the child food, water, medical care, and sanitary living conditions. The injuries suffered were extensive and life-threatening, including: • Head lacerations
• Internal bleeding
• A broken arm and broken fingers
• Traumatic skeletal muscle deterioration Rescue efforts ultimately removed the children from the Collins household before the abuse turned fatal.
Federal and tribal law enforcement officials emphasized the severity of the case and the necessity of justice for the victims.
FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater condemned the abuse, stating, “The suffering these innocent children endured at the hands of two people who were supposed to love and care for them is horrific and unconscionable. The FBI is proud to have been part of the investigative team that helped put John and Tambara Collins behind prison bars where they undoubtedly belong.”
U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Wilson praised the cooperation between county, tribal, and federal agencies, saying, “The defendants subjected children in their care to unthinkable abuse and neglect, and I am thankful for the collaborative work of county, tribal, and federal investigators and federal prosecutors in securing convictions and significant sentences in this case.” — Sentencing & Incarceration
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the sentencing.
Both John and Tambara Collins will remain in U.S. Marshals’ custody until they are transferred to a federal Bureau of Prisons facility. Due to the severity of their sentences, neither will be eligible for parole.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caila M. Cleary and Sarah McAmis.
This case serves as a grim reminder of the importance of child protection and the critical role of law enforcement in ensuring justice for the most vulnerable.
