Evergreen Reporter

Vince Harjo, a 36-year-old resident of Glenpool, Oklahoma, has been sentenced to four years in prison followed by lifetime supervised release for possessing child sexual exploitation material. The sentence was announced by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The investigation that led to Harjo's arrest was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police Department. On February 4, 2023, law enforcement officers found images depicting child sexual exploitation on Harjo's cell phone during a response to a call in Okmulgee, Oklahoma.

Harjo pleaded guilty on September 11, 2023, to one count of possession of certain material involving the sexual exploitation of a child. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse. The program brings together federal, state, and local resources to prosecute offenders and rescue victims.

Judge John F. Heil III presided over the hearing at the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. Harjo will remain under U.S. Marshal custody until he is transported to a designated facility within the United States Bureau of Prisons system to serve his non-paroleable sentence.

Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Satter represented the prosecution in this case.

Authorities encourage anyone with information about child sexual exploitation or related offenses to contact law enforcement through various channels including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s website or hotline.