NEWS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI

JOHN F. WOOD

Contact Don Ledford, Public Affairs ● (816) 426-4220 ● 400 East Ninth Street, Room 5510 ● Kansas City, MO 64106

www.usdoj.gov/usao/mow/index.html

JULY 22, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SPRINGFIELD MAN CONVICTED FOR ILLEGAL FIREARMS

FACES 15-YEAR MINIMUM PRISON TERM

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – John F. Wood, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Springfield, Mo., man was convicted today for illegally possessing firearms.

Karlin Kelley, 51, of Springfield, was found guilty following a two-day bench trial before U.S. District Judge Richard E. Dorr of being a felon in possession of firearms.

Kelley was in possession of three firearms – a Remington 12-gauge shotgun, a Marlin 30-30 rifle and a Westerfield 12-gauge shotgun – in March 2005. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Kelley has a prior felony conviction for receiving stolen property, four prior felony convictions for burglary, two prior felony convictions for attempted burglary and three prior felony convictions for stealing.

Law enforcement officers contacted Kelley in March 2005 during an investigation into several Springfield burglaries. The firearms, which Kelley had in his home, were stolen during two of those burglaries.

Under federal statutes, Kelley could be subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole due to his prior convictions, plus a fine up to $500,000. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.

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