KANSAS CITY, MO – Earl B. Penn, 31, of St. Joseph, Missouri, will spend the next 15 years behind bars after a federal judge slammed him with a lengthy sentence for illegally possessing a firearm and violently resisting law enforcement. Chief U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips handed down the sentence today, designating Penn an armed career criminal due to a lengthy rap sheet.
The case stems from a June 22, 2020 encounter with St. Joseph Police. Officers attempted to serve an outstanding warrant for violations of Penn’s federal supervised release when he bolted, launching into a struggle with the responding officers. According to trial testimony, Penn wasn’t just resisting – he was actively fighting. He repeatedly struck one officer in the face with the back of his head and managed to rip an OC spray canister from the officer’s vest.
The detective was forced to physically wrestle the OC spray from Penn’s grasp to prevent him from deploying it. It was during this chaotic struggle that the loaded Taurus 9mm semi-automatic pistol was discovered tucked inside Penn’s sweatshirt pouch. Witnesses testified that throughout nearly the entire fight, Penn strategically kept his right hand concealed, protecting the weapon. He clearly had no intention of surrendering peacefully.
Federal law prohibits convicted felons from possessing firearms or ammunition, and Penn’s record is extensive. He’s previously been convicted of residential burglary, arson, conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and cocaine, and unlawfully carrying a loaded handgun. This wasn’t a first offense; it was a pattern of disregard for the law, culminating in this 15-year sentence.
The prosecution was handled by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon E. Gibson, a cross-designated prosecutor from the Missouri Attorney General’s office working under the Safer Streets Initiative, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Marquez. The St. Joseph Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) led the investigation. This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence.
Penn’s sentence is a clear message: those who repeatedly break the law and endanger public safety, especially with firearms, will face serious consequences. The 15-year sentence carries no possibility of parole, ensuring Penn will remain off the streets for the foreseeable future. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on federal crime trends in the Western District of Missouri.
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