Mannford Man Pleads Guilty to Theft or Bribery Concerning Programs Receiving Federal Funds
| U.S. Attorney’s Office February 05, 2014 |
MUSKOGEE, OK—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Robert DeWayne Gifford, age 62, of Mannford, Oklahoma, pled guilty to an information in federal court today. The defendant is charged with theft or bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section §666(a)(1)(B), and money laundering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1957.
The information alleges that from on or about January 2010 and continuing through September 2010, Robert DeWayne Gifford and others known and unknown to the government did accept or agree to accept anything of value of $5,000 or more to persons authorized to act on the behalf of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (CNO) intending to influence and reward an agent, employee, and officer of the CNO in connection with a transaction and series of transactions of the CNO.
The information further alleges that during the period of time from on or about April 9, 2010 to on or about May 5, 2010, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendant and others known and unknown to the government did engage and attempt to engage in a monetary transaction by, through, or to a financial institution, affecting interstate or foreign commerce, in criminally derived property of a value greater than $10,000, such property having been derived from a specified unlawful activity.
The charges are a result of a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations Division.
The statutory range of punishment on each offense is 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000.
The Honorable Kimberly E. West, Magistrate Judge in the Eastern District of Oklahoma presided over the hearing. The defendant was released on bond pending sentencing.
First Assistant United States Attorney Doug Horn and Assistant United States Attorney Chris Wilson represented the United States.