Megan Renee Burgess, a 47-year-old resident of Wewoka, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty on Apr. 14 to one count of Theft in Indian Country, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charge carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case concerns allegations that from January 2017 until about November 7, 2022, Burgess took and carried away personal property belonging to another person—specifically United States currency exceeding $1,000—with intent to steal. The incident occurred in Seminole County within the boundaries of the Seminole Nation Reservation.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Office of the Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector investigated the matter. Magistrate Judge Gerald L. Jackson accepted Burgess’s plea and ordered a presentence investigation report. Sentencing will be determined by a U.S. District Court Judge after consideration of federal guidelines and statutory factors. Burgess was released on bond pending sentencing.
The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma leads federal criminal investigations and prosecutions in this region while also managing civil actions for the United States government; it collects federal debts and supports trust responsibilities to Tribal Nations across its jurisdiction according to its official website. The office covers 26 counties including Adair, Atoka, Bryan, among others according to its official website.
This district is unique as it represents the only federal judicial district located entirely within Indian country according to its official website. Operational facilities are maintained in Muskogee according to its official website, where community wellness is advanced through fulfilling federal trust responsibilities with sovereign Tribal Nations according to its official website.
