KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Beth Phillips, 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.

Reginald Lamar, 34, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Lamar was sentenced as an armed career offender due to his prior felony convictions.

On April 14, 2010, Lamar pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Lamar admitted that he was in possession of a Jimenez Arms 9mm semi-automatic pistol when police officers found him passed out behind the steering wheel of a stolen vehicle on Dec. 6, 2009. Officers made numerous attempts to wake Lamar, including knocking on the window of the Dodge Durango. Eventually, Lamar woke up and got out of the vehicle. The officers then found the handgun on the driver’s side floorboard. They also found ammunition in Lamar’s front pants pocket.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Lamar has eight prior felony convictions for tampering with a motor vehicle, burglary, stealing, receiving stolen property and fleeing from law enforcement officers.

This case was 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.

Project Ceasefire
Project Ceasefire, launched in October 1999, is a cooperative initiative by federal and local law enforcement and the Kansas City Crime Commission that targets for federal prosecution persons who unlawfully use or possess firearms.

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