Jury Convicts Felon for Firearm Possession, Assault, and Discharging Firearm During Violent Crime

TULSA, Okla. - A federal jury convicted Antonio Jerome Colbert, 37, a member of the Osage Nation, of being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; and Carrying, Using, Brandishing and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.

"I commend the witnesses and officers for reacting quickly to intervene on behalf of this woman. Without them, Colbert would not be held accountable for his actions," said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. "This case exemplifies the effectiveness of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the federal initiative that brings together law enforcement for intervention and accountability."

In September 2024, several witnesses called 911, reporting they heard yelling, a gunshot, or witnessed a man assaulting a woman. Tulsa Police officers responded to the shots fired call. Upon arrival, officers observed an SUV parked on the sidewalk with open doors. Officers immediately took Colbert into custody, and he adamantly denied any wrongdoing.

One witness testified that they heard a lot of yelling and looked over the fence to see what was happening. He observed a woman walking down the sidewalk when an SUV crossed the ditch, driving towards the woman. Colbert barely missed the woman and got out of the vehicle, yelling at her. The witness saw Colbert pull a handgun and shoot at the woman. Colbert's shot missed the woman, and in his fit of rage, he began assaulting her. Body camera evidence presented to the jury showed the woman was visibly shaken, crying, and in need of intervention.

Despite a witness reportedly seeing Colbert shot at the woman, Colbert claimed he did not have a firearm and denied shooting at the woman. After a search of the vehicle that Colbert was driving, officers found a loaded handgun wedged in the seat. The officer who recovered the firearm testified that the handgun was jammed with a shell casing that failed to eject.

Further, the investigation revealed that Colbert was knowingly convicted of other felonies that prohibited him from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

The FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Valeria Luster and Kenneth Elmore 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 PSN, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.