Wheatland father, son charged with illegal firearms

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Wheatland, Mo., father and son were charged in separate cases today with illegally possessing firearms.

William “Bill” Harlan Parker, 40, and his son, Devlin Quanah Parker, 20, both of Wheatland, were charged in separate criminal complaints filed in the U.S. District Court in Jefferson City, Mo. Bill and Devlin Parker, who were arrested today, remain in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Monday.

Today’s complaint charges Bill Parker with possessing firearms after being convicted of a crime of domestic violence, and with possessing an unregistered firearm. Today’s complaint charges Devlin Parker with possessing unregistered firearms.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaints, an investigator with the Hickory County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department was following up on a report of sounds of gunfire on July 14, 2015. Bill and Devlin Parker were identified as the individuals conducting the shooting. Several witnesses reported that the Parkers always carried firearms on their sides. Cooperating sources also told law enforcement officers that there were firearms at their residence and that Bill Parker had made statements about shooting and killing law enforcement officers.

A federal search warrant was executed today at the Parker residence. Law enforcement officers seized an AR-15-style rifle that Bill Parker was holding when they entered the residence, a .223-caliber rifle with no markings or serial number. There were several other firearms located in the residence, including a Springfield .40-caliber pistol, a Stevens 12-gauge shotgun, an Archangel .22-caliber rifle and a Para .45-caliber pistol with no visible serial number.

It was determined that Devlin Parker was sleeping on a cot in a Chevrolet van parked outside the residence. Officers searched the van and found a Smith & Wesson .40-caliber handgun with no visible serial number inside the sleeping bag Devlin Parker was using. There was also a 12-gauge shotgun with no markings in the van. In a box behind the driver’s seat officers found two AR-15-style rifles, with short barrels and no visible identifying markings. The rifles were field-tested and determined to be “machine guns.”  There was also a large amount of various ammunition found in the van.

Dickinson cautioned that the charges contained in these complaints 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.

These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence E. Miller. They were investigated by the Hickory County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.