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 9, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KC MAN INDICTED FOR SELLING FIREARMS TO JUVENILE

            KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Matt J. Whitworth, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Kansas City, Mo., man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for selling firearms to a juvenile.

            Montell F. Ross, 27, of Kansas City, was charged in a two-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City on Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2009. That indictment was unsealed and made public following Ross’ arrest and initial court appearance today.

            The federal indictment alleges that between May and October 2007, Ross sold a Ruger 9 mm semi-automatic pistol and a Glock .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol to a juvenile. In addition to the unlawful transfer of firearms to a juvenile, Ross is also charged with one count of illegal firearms trafficking.

            Whitworth cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment 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 Christina Y. Tabor. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Dellwood, Mo., Police Department.

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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, is available on-line at

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