Michael Dewayne Hardy, Firearms Trafficking, Missouri 2025

Kansas City Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Traffic Firearms

A Kansas City man has been sentenced to four years in federal prison for conspiring to traffic firearms to prohibited persons, according to a recent court ruling.

Michael Dewayne Hardy, 23, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to 48 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. The court also ordered Hardy to pay a criminal forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $6,500.

Hardy’s involvement in the conspiracy was revealed through a plea agreement, in which he admitted to knowingly and willfully joining an agreement to sell firearms to individuals who were prohibited from possessing them under federal law. He also admitted to illegally trafficking a machinegun.

According to the plea agreement, the conspirators trafficked at least 22 firearms to persons who were known felons or they sold firearms that were converted into unregistered machineguns in violation of federal law. Hardy admitted that on at least three occasions he worked with co-conspirators to sell seven firearms to a prohibited person. One of the firearms Hardy sold had been converted into an unregistered machinegun.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the government to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford.

A number of co-defendants have also been sentenced in connection with the case. Co-defendant Dejohuan Mietz Huntley, 27, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison without parole. Co-defendant Antonio Manning, Sr., 23, was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison without parole. Co-defendant Sheron Manning, 22, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison without parole. Co-defendant Fedo Manning, 24, was sentenced to 66 months in federal prison without parole.

One of the recovered firearms originally purchased by Fedo Manning and later trafficked to an unknown individual was discovered at the scene of the shooting that occurred during the celebration of the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl victory on Feb. 14, 2024. The recovered firearm was an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15, .223-caliber pistol. The loaded pistol was found along the wall with a backpack next to two AR-15-style firearms and backpacks.

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