Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to Serve More Than Seven Years in Federal Prison for Mail Theft and Witness Tampering

OKLAHOMA CITY – DONALD EUGENE COOKS, 50, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 92 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit mail theft, possession of stolen mail, and witness tampering, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

On October 3, 2023, a federal Grand Jury returned a four-count Second Superseding Indictment against Cooks, charging him with conspiracy to commit mail theft, two counts of being in possession of stolen mail, and witness tampering. On March 28, 2024, after a three-day trial, a federal jury found Cooks guilty on all counts.

According to evidence presented at trial, in July of 2022, Cooks and co-defendant IRVIN HERBERT SAWYER, 41, of Norman, conspired together to steal mail from an Oklahoma City Post Office. At the time, Sawyer was employed as a rural carrier associate and knew the access code to enter the Post Office, which he shared with Cooks. The jury heard testimony that on July 19, 2022, on at least two occasions, Cooks entered the Post Office after hours using the code given by Sawyer.  On the first occasion he successfully stole mail, which he took back to his motel room. Returning for more, Cooks and another person attempted to steal a large amount of mail, which they loaded into the bed of Cooks’ truck. However, while still loading the mail, the alarm was tripped and the Oklahoma City Police arrived before the mail could be taken from the parking lot. Cooks fled the scene but was soon detained and arrested. The investigation quickly led to Cooks’ motel, where Oklahoma City Police found several items of stolen mail in his room and empty mail packaging in the dumpster. The jury heard further testimony that in July of 2023, while in jail, Cooks had a message passed to a government witness attempting to intimidate the witness and keep them from testifying at his trial. On July 18, 2023, Sawyer pleaded guilty to conspiring with Cooks to commit mail theft.

At the sentencing hearing on March 26, 2025, Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy D. DeGiusti sentenced Cooks to serve 92 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Sawyer was sentenced to 36 months of probation on April 15, 2024. In announcing the sentences, Judge DeGiusti noted the need to deter future criminal conduct and to protect the public.  As to Cooks’ sentence, in particular, Judge DeGiusti noted that the sentence was warranted by Cooks’ continued criminal activity while in custody, as well as the fact that Cooks has a long history of serious criminal conduct.

Public record reflects that Cooks has previous felony convictions that include:

• possession of a stolen vehicle in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-1992-4493;
• bail jumping in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-1992-5649;
• concealing stolen property and second-degree forgery in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-1994-2676;
• second-degree burglary in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-2000-5249;
• escape from penal institution in Okfuskee County District Court case number CF-1996-84; and
• escape from the Department of Corrections in Comanche County District Court case number CF-1997-108.

This case is the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bow Bottomly and Charles Brown prosecuted the case.

Reference is made to public filings for additional information.