Kansas City Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Crack Cocaine Trafficking and Illegal Firearm Possession
A Kansas City, Mo., man with an extensive history of violent crime was sentenced in federal court today for trafficking crack cocaine and illegally possessing a firearm.
Mitchell B. Byrd, 43, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 30 years in federal prison without parole. Today’s sentence is an upward variance from the recommended federal sentencing guidelines, as advocated by the government due to his extensive criminal history involving drugs and firearms, including two murder convictions, and his involvement in three separate knife attacks while incarcerated in this case.
On Aug. 13, 2021, Byrd pleaded guilty to possessing crack cocaine with the intent to distribute and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Detectives with the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department’s gang squad utilized a confidential informant to make a series of three controlled purchases of crack cocaine from Byrd in September 2018. Following the third transaction, on Sept. 20, 2018, officers executed a search warrant at a residence used by Byrd for drug trafficking.
Officers found a loaded Glock .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol on a glass table in the living room, within reach of Byrd, who was the only occupant of the house. Officers also found a clear plastic bag on the table that contained approximately 2.9 grams of marijuana and $121 in cash.
The court found that Byrd breached the terms of his plea agreement by attempting to assault another inmate with a large knife. While in federal custody in this case, Byrd worked with two other inmates to attempt to kill an inmate by stabbing him at least 13 times. About a month later, Byrd and another associate of the 246 gang were involved in a stabbing incident with two other inmates. A few months later, he tried to stab another inmate. Byrd also threatened to kill or have someone kill two law enforcement officers who collected a DNA sample from him pursuant to a federal search warrant.
According to the government, Byrd has also committed numerous crimes while he was on court supervision, and has an alarming record of probation violations, conduct violations while incarcerated, and committing new offenses while incarcerated.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashleigh A. Ragner and Mary Kate Butterfield. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.
Mandatory Facts:
1. Defendant/Respondent: Mitchell B. Byrd
2. Exact Criminal Charges: Possessing crack cocaine with the intent to distribute and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime
3. City and State: Kansas City, Mo.
4. Exact Date: On Aug. 13, 2021
5. Sentence or Outcome: 30 years in federal prison without parole
6. Dollar Amounts: $121 in cash and $1,100 in cash
Related Federal Cases
- Matthew Allen Hampton, Methamphetamine Trafficking, Missouri 2024 · Indiana
- Multi-Million Dollar Meth and Heroin Trafficking Ring, Missouri 2020 · Indiana
- Orval L. Johnson, Cocaine Trafficking, MO 2023 · Kansas
- Jermel D. McCray, Machine Gun Trafficking, Missouri 2024 · Kansas
- Aaron Vincent Schweidler, Anabolic Steroid Trafficking, NC 2024 · Kansas
Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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