Oklahoma City man receives statutory maximum sentence for illegally possessing ammunition connected to shooting of unarmed man (DOJ)

OKLAHOMA CITY - TY LAMONT NELSON, JR., 30, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 180 months in federal prison, the statutory maximum, for unlawful possession of ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

According to public records, on July 2, 2024, officers with the Midwest City Police Department responded to a shooting at a residence. A woman at the home told police that Nelson had come to the residence and forced his way inside her bedroom. He then retrieved a rifle from a bag underneath the bed, assembled and loaded it, and shot an unarmed man four times at close range. Nelson then left the residence with the firearm. The victim was taken to a nearby hospital where he underwent emergency life-saving surgery.

Officers recovered spent shell casings from inside the residence that were consistent with the type of ammunition commonly used by the rifle Nelson was reported to have possessed. At the time of the shooting, Nelson was subject to a protective order in Oklahoma County District Court case number PO-2023-1563 and was thus prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

On August 20, 2024, a federal grand jury charged Nelson with being a prohibited person in possession of ammunition. Nelson pleaded guilty on February 5, 2025, and admitted that he knowingly possessed ammunition that had crossed state lines while subject to a protective order.

At a sentencing hearing on September 8, 2026, U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishman sentenced Nelson to serve the maximum sentence, 180 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing her sentence, Judge Dishman found that Nelson's actions on the morning of July 2, 2024, were premeditated and committed with malice aforethought. In sentencing Nelson, Judge Dishman noted that this was Nelson's third domestic-related shooting incident, and that out of all the firearm and ammunition possession cases she has seen, she viewed this case differently in light of the violence, cruelty, and impact on the victims.

This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Midwest City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Drew E. Davis and Mary E. Walters prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice's nationwide initiative to reduce violent crime through coordinated federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partnerships. PSN is a key component of Operation Take Back America (OTBA), the Department's nationwide effort to combat violent crime and other threats to public safety.

This case is also part of "Operation 922" and "Shots Fired." "Operation 922" is the Western District of Oklahoma's implementation of OTBA that prioritizes the prosecution of federal crimes connected to domestic violence. "Shots Fired" targets federal cases involving individuals who discharge firearms as part of their criminal activity, including drive-by shootings and incidents in which shots are fired during robberies, domestic disputes, or other criminal conduct.

Reference is made to public filings for additional information.

Updated September 15, 2026