Comanche Nation Casino Shooting at Cops Leads to 15-Year Prison Sentence

Posted on: March 30, 2022, 04:48h. 

Last updated on: March 30, 2022, 11:25h.

Ed Silverstein @casinoorgedsilv Read More
Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

A 35-year-old Oklahoma man was sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison Monday for allegedly shooting at tribal police officers. The incident took place last May at Lawton, Oklahoma’s Comanche Nation Casino.

Oklahoma’s Comanche Nation Casino
Oklahoma’s Comanche Nation Casino, pictured above. The tribal gaming venue was the site of a man shooting at two tribal police officers in 2021. This week, the defendant was sentenced to 15 years in prison. (Image: Wikipedia)

Michael Hans Oloa, also of Lawton, was given a 188-month sentence in Oklahoma federal court by US District Court Judge Scott Palk. Following Oloa’s release from prison, he will be placed under supervised release for three years, the judge ordered.

Oloa previously was indicted on two charges: assaulting two federal officers and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Last August, he entered guilty pleas on both charges, according to a statement from Oklahoma US Attorney Robert J. Troester.

The May 25, 2021 incident began after two Comanche Nation Police Department officers responded to the tribal casino. They encountered Oloa. He ran away from them, and then discharged a firearm in the direction of the officers while in a parking lot, Troester said.

“Oloa is prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm, because he has been previously convicted of felony crimes,” Troester explained in the statement.

The tribal police officers are considered federal law enforcement agents. It is believed they were not injured during the confrontation.

Oloa has been in custody since the shooting, Troester said.

Oloa Could Have Gotten 30 Years

Based on earlier statements from Troester, Oloa could have been sentenced to up to 30 years for the two charges. That would have been twice the given sentence.

The maximum he faced was up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine for the first charge. For the second charge, he faced up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

The judge considered Oloa’s prior criminal history when imposing the sentence, the statement said.

Prior Oklahoma Casino Shooting

Last month a “heavily armed” man was arrested at Oklahoma’s Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Catoosa after firing several shots in a parking lot, local police said. He had in his possession an AR-15 rifle, three other firearms, and a “great deal of ammunition,” cops added.

By the time he surrendered, bullets struck a casino van and a gaming property sign, KOTV, a local TV station, reported. The van’s frame, seats, tires, and windshield were all damaged, the report adds. Shots were also fired at a local golf course. Still, no one was injured.

He was identified as David Temple, 35, of Arkansas, and police said he was a convicted felon, KOTV said. Authorities also allege he had alcohol, cash, and suspected illegal drugs in his possession.

Charges against him are pending in local court. These include felon in possession of a firearm, malicious injury to property, reckless conduct with a firearm, pointing a firearm, use of a vehicle in the discharge of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance, public intoxication, and transporting an open bottle or container of liquor, according to online jail records.