KANSAS CITY, MO – David Michael Gager, 31, also known as David Kash, is headed to federal prison for 71 months after admitting to running guns in the Kansas City area. U.S. District Judge Greg Kays handed down the sentence today, finding Gager guilty of being a felon in possession of firearms – a charge stemming from a brazen operation that exposed a pipeline of illegal weapons flowing from Kansas City to the streets of Chicago.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) caught onto Gager’s scheme through a confidential informant and an undercover agent. Between April 19, 2024, and May 16, 2024, they conducted four separate controlled purchases of firearms directly from Gager. The transactions weren’t just about the guns; Gager openly boasted about his ability to source machineguns and methamphetamine, hinting at a wider criminal network. He even revealed that he was acquiring firearms in Kansas City and transporting them to Chicago for resale, pocketing a profit on each illegal deal.
The jig was up on May 9, 2024, when Kansas City, Mo. Police Department officers moved in to execute an arrest warrant. Gager, spotted approaching officers outside a convenience store on Prospect Avenue, panicked and tossed a 9mm handgun into a nearby trashcan. The attempt to ditch the evidence failed, and Gager was taken into custody. He ultimately pleaded guilty to five counts of knowingly being a felon in possession of firearms on March 7, 2025.
This isn’t just a local case; it’s part of something bigger. The Department of Justice has slotted Gager’s prosecution into “Operation Take Back America,” a sweeping nationwide initiative aimed at dismantling cartels, transnational criminal organizations, and stemming the tide of illegal immigration. The operation leverages the resources of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) to hit these criminal networks where it hurts.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford spearheaded the prosecution, building a solid case based on the evidence gathered by the ATF and the Kansas City Police Department. The 71-month sentence sends a clear message: those who illegally traffic firearms and endanger communities will face serious consequences. Gager will serve his time without the possibility of parole, a fitting end to his gun-running career.
Grimy Times will continue to follow Operation Take Back America and report on the efforts to dismantle criminal organizations operating within the United States. This case underscores the importance of collaboration between federal and local law enforcement agencies in combating gun violence and protecting our communities. The flow of illegal firearms fuels violence in cities across the nation, and every arrest like Gager’s is a step towards disrupting that deadly cycle.
Related Federal Cases
- KC Man Gets 9 Years for Gun & Wild Police Chase · Kansas
- KC Man Gets 10 Years for Meth Trafficking, Gun Possession · Kansas
- Gager Gets 71 Months: KC Gunrunner Headed to Federal Prison · Kansas
- Alabama Fraudster Gets Four Years in $10.2 Mil Stock Scam · Kansas
- Albert William Roberts III Gets 4 Years for $3.7M Mortgage Fraud · Kansas
Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons|Organized Crime|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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