A McLoud man, currently serving a federal prison term on a firearms conviction, now faces five new felonies filed in Lincoln County District Court.
Christopher Steven Ledbetter, now 30, was taken into custody June 4, 2020 in Oklahoma City, by the FBI and charged with unlawfully possessing a fully automatic machine gun.
Later that month, he admitted to possessing a fully automatic AK-47 style carbine machine gun when FBI agents arrested him after stopping the 2017 Jeep Wrangler he was driving.
On Dec. 17, 2020, U.S. District Judge Charles B. Goodwin sentenced Ledbetter to 57 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.
McLoud Police Chief Wes Elliott said following the sentencing last December, “although the federal prosecution of Ledbetter may be over, he will face state charges, possibly in the near future. He continued, “I spoke
He continued, “I spoke to District Attorney Allan Grubb earlier and we’re pursuing state charges against Ledbetter. He could face various other counts,” Elliott said.
The chief added, “If convicted on any other state charges, that prison time would come after his federal sentence.”
The five felonies against Ledbetter were filed Sep. 14. They include planning, attempt/conspire to perform an act of violence; two counts of possessing a firearm during commission of a felony; endangering others while eluding and attempting to elude a police officer; and feloniously pointing a firearm.
In Count 1, Ledbetter is accused of on Feb. 16, 2020, conspiring and attempting to perform an act of violence intended to involve bodily harm to Lincoln County deputies by yelling threats and provocations while he was wearing camouflage and body armor while wielding an AR-15 assault rifle.
That charge includes his allegedly summoning others to the scene similarly dressed in body armor while wielding assault rifles with the purpose of initiating a shootout with deputies.
In one count of possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony, Ledbetter is accused of on Feb. 16 last year of possessing an AR-15 assault rifle while allegedly conspiring with others to perform an act of violence against the deputies and initiate a shootout with them.
The other count accuses him on May 19 last year of possessing an AR-15 assault rifle while committing the felony of endangering others while eluding and attempting to elude McLoud Police Officer William Hicks as Hicks pursued him.
The endangering others while eluding and attempting to elude reportedly occurred May 19 last year too, as he ignored Hicks’ efforts to stop him by accelerating his speed and running stop signs and in doing so endangering others.
In the fifth felony, Ledbetter is charged with pointing the AR-15 assault rifle at Hicks without lawful cause with the intention of shooting the firearm at Hicks.
Even though Ledbetter is serving time in a federal prison, a $15,000 bench warrant was issued for his arrest.
In sentencing Ledbetter in the federal case, Judge Goodwin noted the nature and circumstances of Ledbetter’s conduct leading to his arrest, including reckless endangerment and the attempted evasion of McLoud police.
Timothy J. Downing, who was U.S. Attorney at the time, said following the sentencing, “The successful prosecution of this case demonstrates that those who put our communities at risk, especially through the unlawful possession of firearms, will be held accountable.
“It also emphasizes the strength of law enforcement collaboration. We are grateful to all those agencies who were invested in bringing Ledbetter to justice.”