Lee’s Summit Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Firearms

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Lee’s Summit, Mo., man plead guilty in federal court today for illegally possessing three shotguns.

Jacob A. Stockbridge, 31, plead guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lajuana M. Counts, to one count of being a felon in possession of firearms.

On November 20, 2022, Stockbridge was driving a Ford F150 truck when he struck another motorist at the intersection of W. 23^rd Street and S. Crysler Avenue, Independence, Missouri.  Stockbridge, as seen by witnesses and surveillance video, fled the wrecked F150 truck before emergency personnel arrived.  Stockbridge left behind his wallet, containing his Missouri driver’s license, and his cell phone in the F150.

Police investigating the crash found in the F150’s backseat three shotguns: two Winchester Model 97, 12-gauge shotguns and a Beretta A391 Extrema 2, 12-gauge shotgun.  All three shotguns were stolen.  Prior to November 20th, Stockbridge had been found guilty of 10 felony offenses in the State of Missouri.

Under federal statutes, Stockbridge is subject to a sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. 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 Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the Independence, Missouri Police Department.

Project Safe Neighborhoods

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.