Derek Michael James, a 41-year-old resident of Durant, was sentenced on Apr. 3 to 46 months in prison for assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country.
The case highlights federal efforts to address violent crimes occurring within tribal boundaries and the collaboration between federal and tribal law enforcement agencies.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, James pleaded guilty on July 9, 2025. Investigators said that on January 27, 2025, he assaulted a victim with a dangerous weapon and intended to cause bodily harm. The incident took place in Bryan County within the Choctaw Nation Reservation.
The investigation involved both the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police Department. The sentencing hearing was presided over by Senior Judge Ronald A. White at the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
James will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until he is transported to a designated facility operated by the United States Bureau of Prisons. His sentence does not allow parole.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the government during these proceedings.
