
A Cushing man, identified as Jim Bob Story, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for illegally handling a firearm and for stealing and clandestinely keeping a trove of items, including a vehicle. According to a statement released by U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester on the U.S. Attorney's Office website, the 49-year-old was previously convicted of a felony and was thus prohibited from possessing a firearm.
On February 21, 2024, the Sac and Fox Nation Tribal Police were tipped off about a stolen vehicle on Story's property. A search warrant swiftly executed led to the discovery not only of the said vehicle but also a rifle, ammunition, and a myriad of other pilfered items such as a welder and a log splitter. This is not the first brush with the law for Story, as public records show. His rap sheet includes felony convictions for burglary and possession of controlled substances, going as far back as the early 2000s.
Story's membership with the Sac and Fox Nation and the location of his crimes on the tribal lands held in trust were the reasons for the federal nature of the case. During the sentencing on January 15, 2024, U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishman imposed the five-year prison term which is to be followed by a three-year period of supervised release. According to the sentencing hearing, Judge Dishman underscored the severity of Story's criminal past and the urgent need "to deter Story from future crimes," as mentioned on U.S. Attorney's Office.
The case underscores not only the consequences of recurrent criminal behaviors but also encapsulates the collaborative efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Cushing Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Edgmon, who to prosecute the case, has not issued additional comments beyond what the public filings contain.