NEWS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI

MATT J. WHITWORTH

Contact Don Ledford, Public Affairs ● (816) 426-4220 ● 400 East Ninth Street, Room 5510 ● Kansas City, MO 64106

www.usdoj.gov/usao/mow/index.html

DECEMBER 3, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KC MAN SENTENCED FOR ILLEGAL FIREARM

FOLLOWING POLICE SHOOTING

            KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Matt J. Whitworth, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm following a gunfight with police officers in which an officer was severely injured.

             Kyle A. Gardenhire, 26, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Nanette K. Laughrey this afternoon to three years and one month in federal prison without parole.

             On July 28, 2009, Gardenhire pleaded guilty to being an unlawful user of marijuana while in possession of a firearm.

             Gardenhire and co-defendant Bryan K. Walker, 24, of Kansas City, were arrested by Kansas City, Mo., police officers following a traffic stop near 71st Street and Myrtle Avenue on Aug. 7, 2007. As officers attempted to stop the Chevrolet Monte Carlo driven by Gardenhire, he attempted to flee, striking a police car. As the officers approached the car, Walker – a passenger in the rear seat – began firing gun shots at the officers. Police Officer Paul Clark was struck by the gun shots and severely injured. Officers returned fire, striking Gardenhire.

             A loaded Glock .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol was recovered from the front passenger floorboard. A loaded Smith and Wesson 9 mm semi-automatic pistol was recovered from the back seat. A Ruger .22-caliber semi-automatic pistol was recovered from the back seat. The magazine of the Ruger was empty and several spent .22-caliber shell casings were recovered from the car. The police officers recovered 30 individual baggies containing a total of approximately 190.61 grams of marijuana from the front passenger seat floorboard.

             Walker awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

            This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.