Blue Springs Man Sentenced for Illegal Firearm After Accidentally Shooting a Friend
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — David M. Ketchmark, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Blue Springs, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm. The crime was discovered after he accidentally shot a friend and took him to the hospital for treatment.
Travis L. Martin, 38, of Blue Springs, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to nine years in federal prison without parole.
On Jan. 5, 2012, Martin pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Martin admitted that he possessed a Colt .45–caliber pistol on June 27, 2011. Martin accidentally fired the weapon in his residence, injuring a friend in the arm. Martin took the wounded individual to the hospital for treatment of the gunshot wound.
Police officers executed a search warrant at Martin’s residence, where they found the pistol as well as nine additional firearms. Officers also recovered a baggie of marijuana, narcotics paraphernalia and 15 marijuana plants.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Martin has prior felony convictions for unlawful use of a weapon, felonious restraint and armed criminal action.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Clark. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department and the Firearms Task Force of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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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.justice.gov/usao/mow/index.html
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