Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Kansas City, Kan., man has been convicted at trial following a confrontation with law enforcement officers at the Richard Bolling Federal Building.

James E. Everett, Jr., 31, of Kansas City, was found guilty on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018, of threatening a federal law enforcement officer, forcibly resisting a federal law enforcement officer and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Everett arrived at the Richard Bolling Federal Building, 601 E. 12th St., Kansas City, Mo., at about 8:30 a.m. on March 10, 2016. He parked in an emergency vehicle-only parking space on 12th Street. At the building’s lobby entrance, Everett began yelling and demanded to speak to a federal judge. Four Federal Protective Service officers responded and encountered Everett on federal property, approximately 10 yards from the entrance. During the encounter, Everett threatened the officers, stating that he was going to “blow (their) brains out.” The officers then attempted to arrest Everett who fought them as they attempted to put him in handcuffs. It took all four FPS officers, as well as two Kansas City, Mo., police officers who responded to the scene, to restrain Everett.

During his arrest, Everett attempted to bite one FPS officer and spit on another. Three FPS officers received medical treatment following the encounter. After identifying the car in which Everett had arrived, a police officer found a loaded Ruger 9mm pistol underneath the driver’s seat.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Everett has a prior felony conviction for aggravated robbery as well as aggravated arson.

Under federal statutes, Everett is subject to a sentence of up to 24 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for about an hour and a half before returning the guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes, ending a trial that began Monday, Jan. 8, 2018.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Q. McCarther and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney R. Pratten. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Federal Protective Service.

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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/wdmo

Twitter:
@USAO_WDMO

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http://www.Facebook.com/USAOMOW

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