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Springfield Man Gets 78 Months for Gun Conspiracy
A Springfield man was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison without parole for his role in a gun trafficking conspiracy.
DeSean L. Franklin, 24, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to traffic firearms on Nov. 25, 2024. He admitted to conspiring to receive a firearm from another individual, knowing that he was prohibited from possessing one.
Franklin is one of three defendants in this case who have all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic firearms. Joseph M. Johnson pleaded guilty on May 20, 2024, and was sentenced to 5 years of probation. Raimaiya L. Tyson pleaded guilty on Dec. 17, 2024, and was sentenced to 19 months.
The investigation revealed that Franklin was a close associate of an area gang known as “ODB,” who have been linked to a number of violent and firearm offenses. Many of the members of ODB are unable to purchase firearms due to their youth, history of drug use, or other prohibited status and use straw purchasers to obtain them.
On Aug. 12, 2023, investigators with the ATF observed Tyson and Franklin at a gun show in Greene County, Mo. Franklin was prohibited from purchasing firearms because of pending felony criminal charges out of Caddo County, Ok. for unlawful possession of a controlled drug, and possession of a firearm during commission of a felony.
Franklin was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips on April 9, 2025, to 78 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by three years of supervised release. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Category: Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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