NEWS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI

BETH PHILLIPS

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

www.usdoj.gov../index.html

FEBRUARY 2, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PROJECT CEASEFIRE

KC MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO ILLEGALLY

POSSESSING A FIREARM

            KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing a firearm.

            Alfonso M. Tunley, 33, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple this afternoon to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

            Tunley admitted that he was in possession of a Glock .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol on Nov. 16, 2008.

            Tunley was arrested by Kansas City police officers who responded to a report of a shooting in the area of his residence at approximately 4:45 a.m. on Nov. 16, 2008. Tunley was walking down the sidewalk when the officers ordered him to show his hands. He began to walk toward the officers, who saw a handgun with blood on it in the area of the sidewalk where Tunley had been walking.

            Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to possess any firearm or ammunition. Tunley has a prior felony conviction for robbery.

            Under federal statutes, Tunley is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250,000. 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 Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Project Ceasefire

            Project Ceasefire, launched in October 1999, is a cooperative initiative by federal and local law enforcement and the Kansas City Crime Commission that targets for federal prosecution persons who unlawfully use or possess firearms.

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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, is available on-line at

http://www.justice.gov../index.html