SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Darius R. Thomas, a 28-year-old Springfield man and close associate of the FTO gang, was sentenced to three years in federal prison without parole for illegally possessing a firearm and making a false statement during a firearm purchase.
In a gritty turn of events, officers with the Springfield Police Department (SPD) responded to a 911 call on June 1, 2023, where Thomas was caught on surveillance footage waving a gun in the parking lot of a Kum & Go gas station. Just 20 days later, Thomas was again flagged by SPD, this time for exhibiting firearms at an apartment complex.
During questioning, Thomas lied about owning guns, claiming he couldn’t buy them due to his marijuana use. However, officers found ammunition and magazines fitting a Glock pistol in his car. When arrested on August 1, 2023, Thomas was carrying a loaded Glock 29 brandished during the earlier incident.
Thomas attempted to purchase another firearm just two days after the June 1 incident, falsely claiming he wasn’t an unlawful user of any controlled substance. The Firearms Licensee (FFL) did not transfer the weapon due to his false statement on the ATF Firearm Transaction Form.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Greene County Sheriff’s Department, and SPD. It is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence in communities.
Thomas pleaded guilty to being an unlawful user of a controlled substance while in possession of a firearm and making a false statement during a firearm purchase. He is now facing three years of supervised release following his federal prison sentence.
Related Federal Cases
- Springfield Five Hit with Meth, Gun Charges · Missouri
- Springfield’s Michael E. Ford Pleads Guilty to Meth Conspiracy, Gun Charge · Missouri
- Hill Gets 15 Years for Meth & Stolen Gun · Georgia
- Missouri Felon Sentenced for Firearm Possession in Illinois · Illinois
- Yantis Gun Dealer Pleads Guilty To Federal Violations · Arkansas
Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Public Corruption|Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
