Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to Serve Seven Years in Federal Prison After Attempting to Broker Guns to Mexican Transnational Drug-Trafficking Gang

OKLAHOMA CITY – JAHMOND CAVELL HARLEY, 26, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 84 months in federal prison for possession of multiple firearms after having been previously convicted of a felony, announced Timothy J. Downing, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.

According to an Indictment returned on December 4, 2019, Mr. Harley possessed an AR-15 style assault rifle and three semi-automatic handguns on August 15, 2019, after he had been previously convicted of a felony.  Under federal law, convicted felons are prohibited from possessing firearms.  On February 11, 2020, Harley pleaded guilty and, pursuant to a plea agreement, agreed to forfeit the seized firearms.

On September 9, 2020, U.S. District Court Judge Scott L. Palk sentenced Harley to serve 84 months in prison and three years on supervised release after he completes his prison term.  Judge Palk also ordered Harley to forfeit the firearms.  In announcing Harley’s sentence, Judge Palk emphasized Harley’s prior criminal history.  Public records reflect Harley has felony convictions for Burglary in the First Degree, Burglary in the Second Degree, Embezzlement, and Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon.

According to evidence presented at sentencing, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested Harley on August 15, 2019, after learning that Harley was attempting to obtain and coordinate the delivery of the aforementioned firearms for leaders of the Sureño’s, a Mexican street gang engaged in transnational drug-trafficking organization, to ultimately transport to Mexico. 

This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office, with assistance from the Oklahoma City Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorneys Jason Harley and David McCrary prosecuted the case.  The case is also part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force ("OCDETF"), which coordinates the investigation and federal prosecution of the highest priority drug trafficking organizations. 

Reference is made to court filings for further information.  To download a photo of U.S. Attorney Downing, click here.