Ja’Von L. Taylor, Possessing a Machine Gun, Missouri 2023

KANSAS CITY, MO – A Kansas City man admitted today to possessing the illegally modified weapon used in the October 2022 shooting death of an Independence firefighter. Ja’Von L. Taylor, 23, entered a guilty plea in federal court, confessing to charges that could land him behind bars for decades.

According to court documents, Independence police responded to a shooting at Liquor Land, located at 11100 E. U.S. 40 Highway, on October 6, 2022. The victim: an off-duty firefighter. The suspect, quickly identified as Taylor, was apprehended near the scene. A search of his vehicle revealed a Glock .40-caliber handgun that had been illegally converted to fire as a machine gun, along with a broken extended magazine and a fully loaded 15-round magazine.

Taylor’s criminal history already included felony convictions for both robbery and marijuana distribution – making any firearm possession illegal. He told investigators he’d purchased the modified Glock “off the street” for $500 just months prior to the shooting. Authorities have yet to release details surrounding the altercation that led to the firefighter’s death, citing an ongoing investigation into the shooting itself.

Federal prosecutors have charged Taylor with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possessing a machine gun. The latter charge carries a significant penalty, with Taylor facing up to 25 years in federal prison without the possibility of parole. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri stressed that the final sentence will be determined by the judge, taking into account sentencing guidelines and other relevant factors.

The case, spearheaded by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregg R. Coonrod, was a joint effort between the Independence, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Investigators are now working to trace the origin of the illegal machine gun conversion, attempting to identify who modified the weapon and any potential connections to other criminal activity.

A sentencing hearing for Ja’Von L. Taylor is scheduled for August 3, 2023. He remains detained without bond. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the sentencing as it develops, providing a raw and unfiltered look at the realities of federal crime in Missouri.

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