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

JANUARY 20, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SPRINGFIELD MAN SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS

FOR ILLEGAL FIREARMS

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

Karlin Kelley, 52, of Springfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard E. Dorr this morning to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Kelley was sentenced as an armed career offender due to his prior felony convictions.

On July 22, 2008, Kelley was convicted at trial 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.

This case was 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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