⏱ 2 min read
A brazen gun-wielding fugitive thought he could get away with a free meal at a Springfield restaurant. But Kai Wesley Burton’s felony record caught up with him.
In May 2025, Burton drove through a restaurant drive-thru, bypassing the order kiosk and brandishing a pistol on his lap. Employees made him a meal, but he skipped the payment. When cops tried to stop him later, he fled on foot.
Police found two pistols, a 30-round extended magazine, meth, and a cell phone belonging to Burton in the abandoned vehicle. The 30-year-old’s felony past made him a federal crime target.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan prosecuted the case, which was investigated by ATF, the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, and the Springfield Police Department.
U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips sentenced Burton to 100 months in federal prison, a fitting punishment for this reckless fugitive.
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📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Violent Crime
- Defendant: Missouri
- Location: MO
- Source: DOJ Press Release
