Department of Justice Seal

NEWS RELEASE
OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY
WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI
Contact:

Chris Whitley, Public Affairs Officer - (816) 426-4213 - 408 East Ninth Street, Room 5510 - Kansas City, MO 64106-3149
Larry Scott, ATF Public Information Officer - (816) 421-3440 - ATF Kansas City Field Division

JULY 10, 2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FEDERAL GRAND JURY INDICTS 200th DEFENDANT
IN WESTERN MISSOURI'S "PROJECT FELON" INITIATIVE

Kansas City, Mo. - The Office of the United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, and the Kansas City Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms announced that a federal grand jury today indicted four men for alleged violations of federal firearms laws, including the 200th defendant indicted as part of the continuing Project Felon anti-crime initiative targeting persons who unlawfully use or possess guns.

The four men charged today bring to 201 the number of defendants who have been indicted for violating federal firearms laws as a result of the initiative in the Western District of Missouri since Project Felon's inception in October 1999.

Project Felon, a law enforcement and prosecution initiative, is supported by Project Ceasefire, a separate but related multi-media public awareness campaign designed to prevent violence through the spread of messages that discourage the possession of firearms by persons with prior felony criminal convictions.

In separate indictments returned this afternoon in Kansas City, Mo.:

  • Kendra D. Bradley, 23, of Kansas City, Mo., is charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, for an alleged offense on February 23, 2001. On that date, Bradley, who has a prior felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance, was arrested after officers investigated a reported disturbance at a residence. Officers allegedly seized a semi-automatic pistol from a bag that Bradley had been carrying. Case investigated by the ATF and the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department; prosecution by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce E. Clark.

  • Terry R. Burgess, 44, of Kansas City, Mo., is charged with one count of possession of firearms by a convicted felon, for an alleged offense on July 5, 2001. On that date, Burgess allegedly possessed a pistol, shotgun and rifle at his residence when officers served a federal search warrant there in the course of a criminal investigation. Burgess has a prior felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance. Case investigated by the ATF and KCMOPD; prosecution by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker.

  • William F. Davis, 31, of Independence, is charged with one count of possession of firearms by a convicted felon, for an alleged offense on July 5, 2001. On that date, Davis, who has prior felony convictions for auto theft, tampering and receiving stolen property, was arrested after officers stopped him for a traffic violation and discovered 14 firearms in his vehicle. Case investigated by the ATF and KCMOPD; prosecution by AUSA Clark.

  • Larry D. Hughes, 47, of Kansas City, Mo., is charged with one count of possession of firearms by a convicted felon, for an alleged offense on September 27, 2000. On that date, Hughes, who has a prior felony conviction for forgery, was arrested during an undercover narcotics investigation at a residence. Officers allegedly recovered a pistol and rifle from the residence. Case investigated by ATF and KCMOPD; prosecution by AUSA Clark.

If convicted as charged in their indictments, Bradley, Burgess, Davis and Hughes could each be subject to maximum punishments of 10 years in prison without parole, plus fines up to $250,000.

Charges contained in the indictments are simply accusations and are not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to federal trial juries, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

Since its launch in October 1999 in the Western District of Missouri, Project Felon has resulted in federal charges against 201 defendants, and convictions against 167 of those defendants, including 157 who pleaded guilty and 10 who were convicted at trial. A total of 116 of the 167 convicted defendants have been sentenced, and 51 currently await sentencing hearings.

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