SPRINGFIELD, MO – Hon Chau, a 44-year-old Vietnamese national, is headed to federal prison for over a decade after a brazen attempt to evade law enforcement and a stash of meth turned up in his sweater. Chau was sentenced on Monday, February 13th, to 14 years and two months without parole, following a guilty plea to charges of possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
The bust went down February 27, 2020, when Chau drove a Chrysler 200 into the driveway of a Springfield residence while officers were executing a search warrant on the property. Instead of cooperating, Chau floored it – into the officers’ vehicles. Authorities were forced to break his driver’s side window to get him out. Even then, Chau didn’t give up, resisting arrest and reaching for his right hip. A Taser was ultimately deployed to subdue him.
The struggle revealed why Chau was so desperate to keep his hands on something: a loaded IMEZ .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol tucked into a holster. The gun, investigators quickly discovered, was stolen. But the firearm wasn’t the only contraband Chau was carrying. A search of his person uncovered a baggie containing 287 grams of pure methamphetamine hidden inside his sweater pocket. Officers also found $6,943 in cash stashed inside the Chrysler.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Eatmon successfully prosecuted the case, building it on evidence gathered by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Springfield Police Department. The investigation revealed a pattern of criminal behavior, with Chau already sporting a dozen prior state felony convictions. Adding insult to injury, Chau had only been released from the Missouri Department of Corrections less than a year before this latest offense.
The sentencing of Chau represents a significant blow to the methamphetamine trade in the Springfield area. The ATF’s Kansas City Field Division played a key role in bringing Chau to justice, demonstrating the agency’s commitment to dismantling drug trafficking operations and removing dangerous individuals – and their illegally obtained weapons – from the streets. This case is a stark reminder that possessing both drugs and firearms carries severe consequences under federal law.
Chau’s lengthy sentence underscores the seriousness with which federal authorities view drug trafficking and the associated dangers of illegal firearms. The investigation and prosecution highlight the collaborative efforts between the ATF and local law enforcement to combat crime and protect communities. With a lengthy prison term ahead of him, Hon Chau will have plenty of time to reflect on his choices and the consequences they’ve brought.
Related Federal Cases
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- Carl Justin Gage Sentenced to Tax Evasion, Springfield MO, 2023 · Illinois
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- Barry M Johnson, Interstate Sex Trafficking Conspiracy, Kansas 2024 · Nebraska
Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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