A United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri announced Tuesday that four Springfield area men were indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly stealing 21 handguns from an Ozark Pawn Shop.

Press release from the United States Attorney

 

NEWS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI

 

TAMMY DICKINSON

 

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

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

 

JUNE 10, 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

FOUR SPRINGFIELD-AREA MEN INDICTED FOR

STEALING GUNS FROM PAWN SHOP

 

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that four Springfield, Mo., area men were indicted by a federal grand jury today for stealing 21 handguns from an Ozark, Mo., pawn shop.

 

Daryl Bradley Maples, 27, Corey Lynn Downard, 32, and Matthew James Oakley, 23, all of Springfield, Mo., and Michael Cameron Heston, 25, of Republic, Mo., were charged in a four-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield.

 

Today’s indictment alleges that Maples, Downard, Heston and Oakley aided and abetted each other to illegally enter Sutton Gun and Pawn, a licensed firearms dealer located at 3994 N. 20th St., Ozark, Mo., and steal 21 handguns on Dec. 21, 2012.

 

Maples is also charged with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. The indictment alleges that Maples, having been convicted of a felony crime, was in possession of an F.N. 9 mm pistol, a Colt Canada .38-caliber revolver and assorted ammunition on Dec. 26, 2012. Maples is also charged with selling two stolen firearms – a Rossi .38-caliber revolver and a Smith & Wesson .357-caliber revolver – on Dec. 21, 2012.

 

Downard is also charged with being a felon in possession of firearms. The indictment alleges that Downard, having been convicted of a felony crime, was in possession of two Beretta .40-caliber pistols on Dec. 21, 2012.

 

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition.

 

Dickinson 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 Abram McGull II. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Ozark, Mo., Police Department and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.

 

****************

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