Felon Sentenced After Jury Convicted Him of Unlawful Firearm Possession

TULSA, Okla. - A Tulsa man was sentenced after a federal jury convicted him in April of being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

Today, U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Prophet Kelly Lamar Clark, 53, to 15 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.

Tulsa Police officers responded to a 911 call about a suspect with a gun. The physical description provided to law enforcement was later identified as Clark. Responding officers saw Clark walking away from the caller's home on the phone, with a pair of keys and a loaded magazine in his right hand.

When the officer asked Clark if he had a weapon, he did not respond. While Clark was being placed in handcuffs, the officer pointed out the magazine in Clark's hand and asked again if he had a firearm on him. Clark told the officer, "right," implying the firearm was on his right side. A purple handgun was taken from Clark's right side. Once Clark's identity was confirmed, records showed that he was a convicted felon.

Court records show that in 2010, Clark pled guilty to felony possession of a controlled drug in state court, driving without a driver's license, and improper tail lamps. He was sentenced to a five-year deferred sentence, which was ultimately converted to a conviction in 2011, resulting in Clark being placed on probation.

Clark was detained at sentencing, pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, along with the Tulsa Police Department, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mallory Richard and Jessica Wright prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.