On March 25, Dangelo Maurice Windham, a 26-year-old Oklahoma City resident, was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison following convictions on firearm and drug offenses, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Oklahoma. The case against Windham included charges for possession of cocaine base with intent to distribute, illegal possession of a firearm after a previous felony conviction, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug-trafficking activities. These charges were the result of two separate run-ins with law enforcement in 2023.
A federal grand jury indicted Windham on May 21, 2024, after he first drew the attention of the Oklahoma City Police Department on March 8, 2023, during a routine traffic stop, which quickly escalated into a chase. According to court records, an OCPD officer attempted to pull Windham over for a traffic violation, but instead of complying, he continued driving and eventually fled on foot before being caught. When he made a break for it, Windham discarded a backpack that contained a firearm, ultimately leading to his arrest along with a sizeable quantity of crack cocaine in his vehicle.
Later that year, on December 23, Windham encountered law enforcement again, which resulted in officers recovering another firearm during a separate traffic stop. The culmination of these events led to Windham's guilty plea on October 7, 2024, where he admitted his possession of a firearm in connection with a drug-trafficking crime and to being a felon in possession of a firearm. The plea highlighted his repeated defiance of the law, considering his history of prior convictions and prosecutions.
During Windham's sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Patrick R. Wyrick underscored the importance of discouraging further criminal conduct, promoting respect for the law, and considering Windham's pattern of behavior. Marking the end of Windham's case, which was a joint effort by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and OCPD, Windham was also assigned to three years of supervised release following his prison term, as noted in a statement released by the U.S. Attorney's Office. Windham's prior record includes a conviction for attempted third-degree burglary in the Oklahoma County District Court from case number CF-2019-1635.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle M. Connolly. With Windham's sentencing, officials intend that it serves as a deterrent to similar offenses, emphasizing the consequences of illegal firearm possession and its often-associated drug offenses.
