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Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney's Office
Western District of Missouri

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Tammy Dickinson
, United States Attorney
Contact: Don Ledford

KC Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Stealing 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 stealing an AK-47 from a pawn shop.

Henry Lee Williams, 55, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Williams was sentenced as an armed career criminal due to his prior felony convictions.

On Nov. 6, 2013, Williams pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and to stealing a firearm from a federal firearms licensee.

Raytown police officers responded to a call from Game Stop on Dec. 19, 2012, regarding a man who had just stolen an iPad. An officer, with his emergency lights and siren on, followed Williams’s vehicle for several blocks before Williams finally pulled over. The officer ordered Williams out of the car, but he refused. Williams claimed his driver’s side door would not open. As another officer walked up to the passenger side widow, he could see Williams still had the car in drive. The officer ordered Williams to place the car in park, which he did. After several more commands, Williams finally exited the car through the passenger side door. He locked the doors as he exited.

An officer looked through the car window and saw an iPad, with a Game Stop price tag and wrapped in bubble wrap, wedged between the center console and the front passenger seat. The officer placed the iPad on the trunk lid of the vehicle. Officers attempted to arrest Williams, but initially he refused their commands. When the officer pushed him over on top of the car trunk, Williams grabbed the iPad with his left hand. He then tucked the hand under his body. Williams would not untuck his hand despite warnings, and officers had to apply force in order to handcuff him.

Once Williams was handcuffed and placed under arrest, officers called for a tow truck. During the inventory search of Williams’s car, officers discovered a duffle bag that contained an AK-47 7.62 x 39 rifle with 20 rounds loaded in the attached high-capacity magazine.

A check revealed the firearm had been stolen from Smart Pawn in Kansas City, Mo. Video surveillance tape and witness accounts of the Dec. 11, 2012, incident at Smart Pawn established that Williams entered Smart Pawn and was hiding out near the firearms counter when he reached over the counter, took the AK-47, and walked out.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Williams has prior felony convictions for theft, burglary and second degree murder.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin G. Davids. It was investigated by the Raytown, Mo., Police Department, 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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http://www.Twitter.com/USAO_WDMO

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Kansas City Field Division