Stephen D. Bagley, Carjacking, MO 2014

KANSAS CITY, MO – Stephen D. Bagley, 27, of Kansas City, Kansas, will spend over twelve years in federal prison after being sentenced for a brazen 2014 carjacking that spiraled into a multi-vehicle wreck and resulted in the tragic death of a beloved pet. U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs handed down the 12-year, 10-month sentence without parole, along with an order for Bagley to pay $1,000 in restitution to the victim.

The crime unfolded on June 22, 2014, outside the Express Mart at 3786 Broadway. Bagley, armed with a Glock .40-caliber pistol, approached a 2008 Nissan Altima while the owner chatted with friends. Bagley forcibly entered the vehicle, brandishing the firearm and ordering the passenger to exit. The victim’s dog, named Mister, was left inside the car during the ordeal. Bagley then sped away, initiating a reckless chase.

The owner and a friend pursued the stolen Altima, witnessing it speed northbound on Interstate 35. Minutes later, police responded to a chaotic scene – a multiple-vehicle collision on I-35 near West Pennway. The Altima, driven by Bagley, had slammed into several cars. Bagley fled the scene, leaving Mister dead inside the wrecked vehicle. The senseless violence and disregard for life shocked the community.

Investigators quickly pieced together the evidence. Surveillance footage from the Express Mart clearly identified Bagley as the assailant. Further bolstering the case, Bagley’s probation officer, who was already supervising him after a prior release from prison, recognized him. A separate investigation into a domestic dispute involving Bagley revealed he’d fired six shots with the same .40-caliber pistol, providing crucial ballistics evidence.

A search of Bagley’s residence, conducted by U.S. Marshals shortly after the carjacking, yielded the murder weapon, along with an extended magazine and ammunition. Forensic analysis confirmed the Glock pistol recovered matched the shell casing found inside the stolen Altima, as well as those from the domestic incident. Bagley had already been in custody, serving a sentence imposed by the U.S. District Court in the District of Kansas, since his indictment on July 8, 2015. He pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence on February 10, 2017.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jess E. Michaelsen prosecuted the case, with the investigation led by the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. This conviction serves as a grim reminder of the devastating consequences of violent crime and the importance of holding offenders accountable. The loss of Mister, a helpless animal caught in the crossfire, underscores the senselessness of Bagley’s actions.