Ezekiel King, Illegal Firearms, Springfield MO, 2023

SPRINGFIELD, MO – Two aspiring rappers from Springfield are facing federal charges after an ATF investigation linked them to a string of shootings across Missouri and Kansas. Ezekiel Josiah King, 19, and Jardell Carlin Williams, 19, were indicted by a federal grand jury this week on charges of illegally possessing firearms while allegedly using controlled substances.

The ATF’s probe, sparked by a surge in shootings in the Springfield area, quickly zeroed in on King and Williams. Investigators found a disturbing pattern: both men flaunted firearms in social media posts and rap videos, despite being under 21 – making them legally prohibited from purchasing handguns. Evidence also suggested frequent marijuana use, further complicating their legal standing regarding firearm ownership.

The first break came on February 15, 2022, during a traffic stop of a gold Nissan Altima. Springfield police discovered an Anderson AM-15 multi-caliber semi-automatic rifle loaded with 31 rounds in the back seat. A Glock .45-caliber pistol, packed with a 29-round extended magazine, was found under King’s seat, who was driving. Williams, in the passenger seat, had a loaded Glock .40-caliber pistol under his seat and multiple boxes of ammunition at his feet. Marijuana was also recovered from the vehicle.

Months later, on October 22, 2022, ATF agents and Greene County deputies surveilled King during a rap performance in downtown Springfield. A traffic stop of a white Jeep Compass revealed another cache of weapons. An Anderson AM-15 pistol loaded with 36 rounds was discovered on the front passenger floorboard where King was seated. The C3 Defense 5.56-caliber pistol was found where Williams had been sitting. A third firearm was found near another passenger.

The investigation didn’t stop there. The Glock pistol seized from Williams was allegedly used in a January 30, 2022, shooting that targeted an occupied residence in the 700 block of S. Nettleton in Springfield. The C3 Defense pistol, investigators tentatively believe, was used in three separate shooting incidents in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The indictment charges both King and Williams with two counts each of being an unlawful user of a controlled substance while in possession of firearms. These charges replace earlier criminal complaints filed in December 2021.

This case underscores the growing connection between street-level gun violence, gang activity, and the exploitation of social media for self-promotion. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri, led by Teresa A. Moore, is prosecuting the case. While the indictment is a step forward, Springfield residents remain on edge as the city grapples with a persistent rise in gun-related crime. Further updates will be provided as the case progresses.”

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