A Weleetka man will spend the rest of his life in federal prison for a 2024 shooting on the steps of an Okemah apartment complex, a killing that played out on tribal land and ended in a rare life sentence in federal court.
Michael Wayne Lambert, 56, had already been convicted by a federal jury of Murder in Indian Country and related firearm charges before a judge handed down the sentence on Thursday.
Life Term Announced
According to a post from FBI Oklahoma City on X, Lambert was ordered to serve life behind bars. Federal authorities framed the punishment as the result of a prosecution tied to a crime committed on tribal land, which places it squarely in federal jurisdiction.
Conviction In Federal Court
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma reported that on Sept. 11, 2025, a jury returned guilty verdicts on three counts, including Murder in Indian Country and firearm counts brought under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c). Prosecutors said the trial lasted several days, after which Chief U.S. District Judge Ronald A. White ordered a presentence report in preparation for sentencing.
Following the verdict, Lambert was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service and remained behind bars while awaiting Thursday’s life term.
What Prosecutors Told The Jury
Federal Newswire reported that prosecutors presented evidence showing Lambert shot the victim multiple times on June 30, 2024, on the stairs of an Okemah apartment complex, then fled the scene.
The outlet noted that the killing happened in Okfuskee County within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation reservation. Investigators from the FBI, the Okemah Police Department and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation worked the case.
Accessory Plea Tied To The Case
The U.S. Attorney’s Office also said Okemah resident Sejaryee Lee Bear pleaded guilty in August 2025 to accessory after the fact, admitting to helping Lambert avoid apprehension after the killing. Bear faces a potential sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison on that charge.
Why The Case Went Federal
Murder in Indian Country prosecutions are brought under the Major Crimes Act, 18 U.S.C. § 1153, which gives federal courts jurisdiction over certain violent offenses committed in Indian country. Related firearm counts are charged under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), which imposes mandatory penalties for using or carrying a firearm during a crime of violence, according to the U.S. Code.
What Comes Next For Lambert
With the life sentence now imposed, Lambert will be transferred into the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons to begin serving his term. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lewis M. Reagan and Ryan F. Conway prosecuted the case for the government.
