Tulsa Man Sentenced to 55 Months in Prison After Threatening Civilians, Officer With a Firearm

A man who pointed a gun at civilians and in the direction of a Broken Arrow police officer was sentenced today in federal court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan sentenced Jonathan David Kelley, 36, of Tulsa, to 55 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. In November, Kelley pleaded guilty to being a felon and drug user in possession of a firearm.

'Jonathan Kelley is a convicted felon and methamphetamine user and as such, is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm. He was a danger to the public and law enforcement officers serving our communities,' said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. 'Now, he is no longer a threat because violating federal firearms laws has serious consequences. He will serve more than five years in prison for his crimes. I am thankful for the officers and agents of the Broken Arrow and Tulsa Police Departments and ATF, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Morgan, who leads our 2150 Initiative. Their work is critical to protecting Oklahomans and reducing gun crime in our communities.'

Broken Arrow Police Officers encountered Kelley disoriented and waving around a gun in public on Sept. 5, 2020. The defendant also pointed the gun at two civilians earlier in the day. During the incident, Kelley refused the officers' commands to drop the firearm and continued walking away, cycling the firearm and telling officers he 'had a round in the chamber.' Kelley also pointed his gun in the direction of an officer who arrived during the incident. Officers were eventually able to apprehend and arrest the defendant safely and collect the Glock 17 pistol with a round in the chamber.

According to the government's sentencing motion, Tulsa police officers had also responded to a domestic violence call involving Kelley and his gun on Aug. 29, 2020.

The Broken Arrow Police Department, Tulsa Police Department, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark R. Morgan prosecuted the case.

Kelley was prosecuted as part of the 2150 Initiative, a collaborative effort between the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma, Tulsa Police Department, ATF, and all other local, state, tribal and federal law enforcement partners to combat violent crime by focusing efforts on prohibited persons in possession of firearms as well as those responsible as the 'source' of the firearms to prohibited persons. The initiative was named in memory of Tulsa Police Sergeant Craig Johnson. Sgt. Johnson's badge number, 2150, was selected for the initiative as a way to honor his life and his commitment to the Tulsa community. This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice's signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.

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