A Muldrow man has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison after being convicted of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
Justin F. Qualls, 40, also known as Jay Qualls, received a 360-month, non-paroleable sentence following his conviction on one count of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor.
A federal jury found Qualls guilty on Aug. 7, 2025, after a trial in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
Evidence presented at trial showed that in May 2024, Qualls knowingly engaged in a sexual act with a child under the age of 12.
The crime occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, placing it under federal jurisdiction.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
“This individual, who preyed on the innocence of a child for his own perverse gratification, will now face the consequences of his actions,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater.
“Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mr. Qualls will spend three decades behind bars where he cannot harm another child.”
United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson also praised the outcome.
“I commend the FBI and prosecutors for their exceptional work in bringing the defendant to justice,” Wilson said.
“Both the verdict handed down by the jury and the sentence imposed by the court should send the strong message that preying on children will not be tolerated.”
The sentencing hearing was presided over by the Honorable Timothy M. Reif, a judge for the U.S. Court of International Trade, who sat by assignment in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
Q ualls will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transfer to a designated facility within the United States Bureau of Prisons, where he will serve his sentence without the possibility of parole.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessie K. Pippin and Emily Wittlinger prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
