A northeast Missouri man has been sentenced to more than 12 years in prison after being found twice with firearms and illegal drugs while on supervised release. U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey handed down a 153-month sentence on Tuesday to Darek A. Wilson, 40, of Kahoka.
Wilson pleaded guilty in April in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Authorities say that on July 29, 2024, while Wilson was under supervised release for a prior methamphetamine distribution conviction from November 2021, a U.S. Probation Officer visiting his home observed suspected methamphetamine in his bedroom.
Further investigation at the scene uncovered additional controlled substances and weapons: "The officer went on to find a Glock handgun, 61 rounds of ammunition, fentanyl, meth, marijuana, and psilocybin mushrooms."
An arrest warrant was obtained following these findings. When law enforcement officers from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Northern Missouri Drug Taskforce, and Kahoka Police Department returned to Wilson’s residence, they discovered further evidence: "they found 12 firearms hidden in the false ceiling of a bedroom and a safe containing a digital scale, $4,394 in cash, 241.63 grams of meth, 19 grams of psilocybin mushrooms and 15 more guns." The home was located within close proximity—231 feet—from school property.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Probation Office along with local law enforcement agencies including the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Northern Missouri Drug Taskforce. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nauman Wadalawala prosecuted the case.
