A 50-year-old Okemah resident has been sentenced to nearly three years in federal prison following his conviction on a methamphetamine distribution charge. Jeffrey Gilbert Franklin, Jr. was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, according to a statement released by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The case originated from an investigation conducted by the Okemah Police Department in coordination with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

According to court documents, on April 25, 2024, local police officers conducted a traffic stop in which Franklin was found to be in possession of a baggie containing approximately 36 grams of methamphetamine – a Schedule II controlled substance. Following his arrest and booking, authorities discovered that Franklin had made phone calls from jail allegedly coordinating further distribution of methamphetamine.

Franklin entered a guilty plea on April 9 before Chief U.S. District Judge Ronald A. White, who presided over the proceedings in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

Judge White ordered that Franklin be remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals Service and transferred to a federal Bureau of Prisons facility, where he will serve the non-paroleable sentence.

The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lewis M. Reagan and Jacob R. Parker.

The sentencing marks another collaborative effort between local law enforcement and federal agencies to curb methamphetamine distribution in eastern Oklahoma.