KC Man Sentenced to Four Years’ Imprisonment for Firearms Trafficking

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced to four years imprisonment in federal custody today for conspiring to traffic firearms to prohibited persons.

Michael Dewayne Hardy, 23, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips, to 48 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release.  The court also ordered Hardy to pay a criminal forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $6,500.

On April 7, 2025, Michael Dewayne Hardy admitted that he knowingly and willfully joined in an agreement to sell firearms to individuals who were prohibited from possessing them under federal law and he admitted to illegally trafficking a machinegun. According to the plea agreement, the conspirators trafficked at least 22 firearms to persons who were known felons or they sold firearms that were converted into unregistered machineguns in violation of federal law.   Michael Dewayne Hardy admitted that on at least three occasions he worked with co-conspirators to sell seven firearms to a prohibited person.  One of the firearms Hardy sold had been converted into an unregistered machinegun.

On Feb. 21, 2024, co-defendant Dejohuan Mietz Huntley, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to traffic firearms to prohibited persons, one count of possessing an unregistered machinegun, and one count of knowingly being a felon in possession of a firearm.  On June 26, 2024, Huntley, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips, to 70 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release.

On April 14, 2025, co-defendant Antonio Manning, Sr., 23, pleaded guilty to his involvement in the conspiracy to illegally traffic firearms. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Antonio Manning admitted that he was personally involved in illegally selling at least nine firearms and one of those firearms was an unregistered machinegun. On Aug. 7, 2025, Antonio Manning was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips, to 48 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release.

On Jan. 22, 2025, co-defendant Sheron Manning, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to traffic firearms to prohibited persons and to one count of illegally trafficking a firearm that had been converted into an unregistered machinegun.  On May 21, 2025, Sheron Manning was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips, to 57 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release.

On Apr. 17, 2025, co-defendant Fedo Manning, 24, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to traffic firearms to prohibited persons. On Aug. 21, 2025, Fedo Manning, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips, to 66 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release.  One of the recovered firearms originally purchased by Fedo Manning and later trafficked to an unknown individual was discovered at the scene of the shooting that occurred during the celebration of the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl victory on Feb. 14, 2024.  The recovered firearm was an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15, .223-caliber pistol. The loaded pistol was found along the wall with a backpack next to two AR-15-style firearms and backpacks. Because the pistol was in “fire” position and there were 26 live rounds in the magazine, which is capable of holding 30 rounds, it may have fired several rounds before it was discarded.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Operation Take Back America

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.