A Lawton man has been sentenced to more than five years in federal prison for unlawful possession of a machinegun, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
Jeremiah Alexander Dearing, 21, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possessing a machinegun. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Patrick R. Wyrick on August 22, 2025, and includes three years of supervised release following his imprisonment.
According to court records, the case began on October 9, 2024, when Dearing participated in a recorded video jail call with an inmate at Grady County Jail. During the call, officers with the Lawton Police Department observed Dearing displaying an AK47-style pistol and flashing multiple gang signs. Because Dearing was underage and prohibited from legally carrying such a firearm under Oklahoma law, detectives obtained a search warrant for his residence.
When law enforcement executed the warrant, they found five firearms in Dearing’s bedroom. Among these was a privately manufactured gun without a serial number; all were loaded and equipped with high-capacity magazines. Officers also seized a machinegun conversion device (MCD), which can convert semi-automatic weapons into fully automatic machineguns. In addition to the firearms and MCD, approximately 92 fentanyl pills were recovered from the residence.
On December 3, 2024, a federal Grand Jury charged Dearing with unlawful possession of a machinegun. He pleaded guilty on February 11, 2025.
At sentencing, Judge Wyrick emphasized concerns about public safety related to Dearing’s actions and highlighted the importance of promoting respect for the law: “In announcing his sentence, Judge Wyrick noted the significant public safety concern posed by Dearing’s conduct and the need to promote respect for the law.”
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with the Lawton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle M. Connolly prosecuted the case.
The prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which coordinates efforts among law enforcement agencies and communities to reduce violent crime and gun violence nationwide (https://justice.gov/psn). Locally in Western Oklahoma this initiative operates as “Project Switch Off,” focusing specifically on removing illegal machinegun conversion devices due to their risk (https://justice.gov/usao-wdok).
Further details can be found in public filings related to this case.
