Kenneth E. Barbee Jr., Illegal Firearm Possession, Missouri 2023

Kansas City Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Illegal Firearm Possession

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Kansas City, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.

Kenneth E. Barbee Jr., 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 10 years in federal prison without parole. This sentence stems from his conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, a crime he was found guilty of on September 23, 2020.

According to court documents, Barbee was found to be in possession of a loaded Palmetto State Armory AR pistol and a loaded CZ 9mm handgun on March 18, 2020, when he was stopped by detectives with the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department. Barbee, who has a prior felony conviction for assault, a prior felony conviction for domestic assault, two prior felony convictions for receiving stolen property, and a prior felony conviction for robbery, is now facing a 10-year sentence for his latest crime.

The robbery conviction, which involved a violent attack on a victim, led to Barbee striking the victim in the face and on the head with a gun after she tried to resist his co-defendant's efforts to rob her. After beating the victim with his gun, Barbee stole her money, dragged her out of the vehicle, then fled from the scene.

Barbee was also disciplined while incarcerated at Core Civic Leavenworth for his possession of two homemade metal weapons recovered from under his mattress.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary Kate Butterfield, Patrick Edwards, and Gregg Coonrod. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The U.S. Attorney's Office is partnering with federal, state, and local law enforcement to specifically identify criminals responsible for significant violent crime in the Western District of Missouri. A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.

Defendant: Kenneth E. Barbee Jr.

Criminal Charges: Being a felon in possession of a firearm

City and State: Kansas City, Missouri

Exact Date: September 23, 2020 (sentencing), March 18, 2020 (arrest)

Sentence: 10 years in federal prison without parole

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmo/pr/kc-man-sentenced-10-years-illegal-firearm