TULSA, OKLAHOMA – A Tulsa man was convicted today in federal court for cutting his girlfriend’s throat and for illegally possessing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.
Devin Charles Staller, 23, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon in Indian Country and to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
“Devin Staller is a dangerous man, plain and simple. He kicked in his girlfriend’s front door and later during a domestic dispute cut her throat. Thankfully, she survived. When police later arrested Staller, he was in illegal possession of a shotgun, ” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “I am grateful this victim called police and they acted quickly. Thanks to Iowa-based Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Fletcher and the joint investigative work of the Tulsa Police Department, ATF and FBI, this dangerous eight-time felon has been convicted.”
In his written plea agreement, Staller admitted that he had intent to do bodily harm when he assaulted the female victim with a knife by cutting her throat on June 24, 2020.
He further admitted to being a felon in possession of a Montgomery Ward Savage 16 gauge pump-action shotgun. Staller was previously convicted of eight felonies. Staller was found with the firearm when he was located by police in an apartment in Tulsa on July 17, 2020.
U.S. District John E. Dowdell set sentencing for May 5, 2021.
The maximum sentence per each count is ten years imprisonment and a fine per count of not more than $250,000.
The Tulsa Police Department, FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Fletcher is prosecuting the case. AUSA Fletcher is a prosecutor from the Northern District of Iowa. He volunteered to assist prosecution efforts here in the Northern District of Oklahoma due to the increased volume of cases since the Supreme Court’s ruling which stated the Creek Nation Reservation had never been officially disestablished by Congress. The United States and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation have jurisdiction of all cases that occur on the reservation involving Native American victims or defendants.