KC Man Charged with Illegal Firearm after Jimmy John's Robbery

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man was charged in federal court today with illegally possessing a firearm following the armed robbery of a Jimmy John’s restaurant in Kansas City.

Terry K. Rayford, 54, of Kansas City, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo.

Today’s criminal complaint alleges that Rayford was in possession of a Witness-P .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun and a Jimenez 9mm semi-automatic handgun on Thursday, April 27, 2017.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the complaint, the firearms were found in Rayford’s vehicle after he was stopped by Independence, Mo., police officers at approximately 7:30 p.m. Officers received information about a person matching the description of the suspect in an armed robbery at a Jimmy John’s restaurant the day before. A retired major with the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department had seen video of the robbery broadcast on the news and saw Rayford – who appeared to be the robbery suspect – driving in the area of 40 Highway and Crysler in Independence.

Independence police officers responded to the area and stopped Rayford’s vehicle. When they ordered him to get out of his vehicle, officers found the Witness-P .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun lying on the driver’s side floorboard. Rayford was arrested and his vehicle towed. During an inventory of the vehicle, the Jimenez 9mm semi-automatic handgun was found in the back pouch of the front passenger seat.

Rayford told investigators he had stolen both of the handguns from his source of supply for crack cocaine, to whom he owed money.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Rayford has numerous felony convictions for first degree armed robbery and he was on parole at the time of the alleged offense.

Larson cautioned that the charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Independence, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.