Department of Justice
For Immediate Release
Project Ceasefire - KC Man Sentenced To 20 Years For Illegal Firearm
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, 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.
Dennis T. Hart, 55, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to 20 years in federal prison without parole.
On Sept. 17, 2013, Hart pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Hart was arrested after police officers responded to a report of an outside disturbance at about 12:56 p.m. at 29th and Prospect in Kansas City, Mo., on April 7, 2013, following an altercation between Hart and another person. After punching the victim in the face, Hart pulled up his sweater to show the victim he had a loaded Lorcin .380-caliber pistol tucked into his waistband. When the victim drove away, Hart got on a bus and left.
Officers later located Hart along the bus route. While struggling with the officers during his arrest, Hart pulled out the firearm and dropped it on the ground.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Hart has three prior felony convictions for possessing a controlled substance, a prior felony conviction for distributing a controlled substance, two prior felony convictions for forgery, two prior felony convictions for assault, and prior felony convictions for tampering and fraud.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce E. Clark. 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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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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