KC Man Who Stole Gun from Murder Victim Sentenced for Illegal Firearm

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man who stole a firearm from the victim of a fatal shooting in a liquor store parking lot has been sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing the firearm.

James A. Jones, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes on Monday, Oct. 25, to five years and 11 months in federal prison without parole.

On April 2, 2021, Jones pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, Kansas City police officers responded to a shooting that occurred at 11816 Blue Ridge Blvd., Kansas City, Mo., at about 2:45 a.m. on Nov. 9, 2020. The shooting victim was transported to an area hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.

Surveillance video showed the shooting victim approach a vehicle while retrieving a Sig Sauer .357-caliber handgun from his waistband. When he was shot, the firearm landed on the ground a few feet away. As the shooting victim lay on the ground, Jones walked up and picked up the handgun then walked away.

Police officers arrested Jones the next day. Officers searched his vehicle and found the loaded Sig Sauer and approximately 83.5 grams of marijuana on the front passenger seat. Officers also found 11 counterfeit $100 bills in the center console.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Jones has prior felony convictions for robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.

Project Safe Neighborhoods

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.