KANSAS CITY, Mo. ‑ Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Blue Springs, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing a firearm. The crime was discovered after he accidentally shot a friend and took him to the hospital for treatment.

Travis L. Martin, 37, of Blue Springs, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Martin admitted that he possessed a Colt .45-caliber pistol on June 27, 2011. Martin accidentally fired the weapon in his residence, injuring a friend in the arm. Martin took the wounded individual to the hospital for treatment of the gunshot wound.

Police officers executed a search warrant at Martin’s residence, where they found the pistol as well as nine additional firearms. Officers also recovered a baggie of marijuana, narcotics paraphernalia and 15 marijuana plants.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Martin has prior felony convictions for unlawful use of a weapon, felonious restraint and armed criminal action.

Under federal statutes, Martin 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 Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara M. Holzschuh. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department and the Firearms Task Force of 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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