Spent Shell Casings Tied Suspect to Shots Fired, Stolen Gun

TOPEKA – A Topeka man was sentenced Monday to 40 months in federal prison for unlawful possession of a stolen gun, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Robert M. Glasscox, 47, Topeka, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a stolen firearm. The investigation began when a Topeka police officer stationed in a parking lot at 2622 S.E. 6th Avenue heard three gunshots nearby. When he stopped Glasscox’s car, he found two spent shell casings and a box of ammunition in the car. Investigators found a third spent shell casing at the corner of 6th and Golden, which was identical to the spent casings in Glasscox’s car.

Investigators found a 9 mm handgun at S.E. 10th Avenue and California, near where Glasscox was stopped. The ammunition in the gun was identical to the spent shell casings and the ammunition in Glasscox’s car. The gun had been reported stolen.

McAllister commended the Topeka Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag for their work on the case.

This case was prosecuted under the Justice Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood initiative.