KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing ammunition.
Joseph L. Hill, 39, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District judge Beth Phillips to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Hill was sentenced as an armed career criminal due to his prior felony convictions.
On Nov. 3, 2016, Hill pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition. Hill admitted that he was in possession of 40 rounds of.45-caliber ammunition, five rounds of.40-caliber ammunition, 10 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ammunition and 13 rounds of 9mm ammunition on July 15, 2015.
Kansas City police officers executed a search warrant at Hill’s residence on July 15, 2015, following a series of five narcotics transactions between Hill and a confidential informant. The ammunition was found inside a small safe in a bedroom at Hill’s residence, along with $1,000 and a glass jar with a green leafy residue. Two handguns - a Jimenez 9mm and a Savage Arms.32-caliber semi-automatic - were found in other rooms inside the residence. Hill denied any knowledge of the two handguns.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Hill has four prior felony convictions for sale of a controlled substance and a prior felony conviction for unlawful use of a weapon.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stefan C. Hughes. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
