KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man was charged in federal court today for illegally possessing firearms.
Robert J. Gross, 66, of Kansas City, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo.
Today’s criminal complaint charges Gross with being a felon in possession of firearms. Gross allegedly was in possession of a Springfield 12-gauge shotgun and a Winchester 12-gauge shotgun on Friday, Dec. 22, 2017.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, Gross has been destroying property and stalking individuals associated with massage parlors in Kansas, which led to him being placed under surveillance by law enforcement.
On Dec. 2, 2017, officers saw Gross purchase four sets of handcuffs, two black shirts with “SECURITY" written on them with badges on the front, and two balaclavas (a garment used to conceal facial identity) from a surplus store in Kansas City, Kan. The manager of the business told investigators that Gross had purchased two sets of handcuffs two weeks earlier.
On Dec. 16, 2017, officers saw Gross inquiring about the purchase of firearms at the Kansas City Gun Show located at the KCI Expo Center. Gross picked up and handled a 9mm Velocity Uzi-type firearm at one of the booths. The dealer at the booth told investigators that Gross, who approached his booth multiple times throughout the day, had asked about purchasing up to three firearms. The next day, the affidavit says, Gross visited the gun show again and was seen inquiring about the purchase of firearms. Gross visited a different booth, where he picked up a 9mm Luger handgun and asked about buying it.
On Dec. 22, 2017, Gross returned to the surplus store in Kansas City, Kan., and was observed purchasing four more sets of handcuffs and a balaclava. Gross also asked about purchasing a bulletproof vest.
On Dec. 22, 2017, officers observed Gross allegedly purchase two shotguns from an unidentified individual in the parking lot of the Lowe’s Home Improvement store in Liberty, Mo. According to the affidavit, Gross first drove to the Pizza Ranch parking lot, where he removed the license plate from the front of his car. The rear license plate had been removed as well. Then Gross drove to the nearby Lowe’s store, where he was met by an individual driving a white pickup truck. The unidentified individual allegedly sold Gross two shotguns, which he handed to Gross from his truck. As Gross was putting two shotguns in the trunk of his car, officers arrested him for being a felon in possession of firearms.
According to the affidavit, the individual who sold the shotguns to Gross told investigators that Gross called him the day before, after seeing the firearms advertised on a web site. Gross told him he wanted to buy two shotguns for $350 and they arranged to meet at Lowe’s to conduct the sale.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Gross has prior felony convictions for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and making terroristic threats to a former girlfriend.
Larson cautioned that the charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Valenti. It was investigated by the FBI, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Lawrence, Kan., Police Department, and the Douglas County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
