Sedalia Man Charged with Illegally Possessing Firearm

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Sedalia, Mo., man has been charged in federal court with unlawfully possessing a firearm following an investigation into a shooting in downtown Springfield on July 20, 2025.

Kenkori Lenell Grant Jr., 23, was charged in a criminal complaint that was filed under seal in the U.S. District Court in Springfield, Mo., on July 20, 2025. The complaint was unsealed and made public today following Grant Jr.’s arrest and initial court appearance. Grant Jr. remains in federal custody pending a preliminary hearing on Aug. 1, 2025.

The federal criminal complaint alleges that Grant Jr. possessed a Fort Barnes Armory pistol equipped with a high-capacity magazine. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who is convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Grant Jr. has prior felony convictions for harassment, assault, unlawful use of a weapon, and unlawful possession of a firearm.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Springfield Police Department officers heard shots fired near the intersection of S. Patton Ave. and W. Walnut St. near midnight on July 20, 2025. When officers arrived on scene they located a Fort Barnes Armory pistol under a nearby car. Officers located surveillance footage of the area depicting who appeared to be Grant Jr. placing the firearm under the vehicle following the shooting.

The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.

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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).