A man from Cape Girardeau has been sentenced to 40 months in prison for his role in the theft of a pistol from a federally licensed gun store in Cape Girardeau County. U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. handed down the sentence on Tuesday.
Danaje Raymond Webster and his co-defendant, Dayvion Jyraud Parker, are also required to pay $1,999 in restitution. Parker received a 70-month prison sentence in March.
According to court documents, on June 17, 2024, Webster removed a Sig Sauer 9mm pistol from the display case at the store and gave it to Parker. Parker concealed the pistol under his jacket before handing it back to Webster, who then hid it between Parker’s back and the back of Parker’s wheelchair. After purchasing ammunition and a magazine for another firearm, both men left the premises. Store employees discovered the theft after reviewing surveillance footage when they noticed the missing firearm.
Law enforcement officers conducted a court-approved search of a home in Cape Girardeau on June 25. During this search, they found Parker lying on a bed with two pistols located between the bed frame and wall; both firearms had auto sears installed, converting them into fully automatic weapons.
Webster, aged 24, pleaded guilty in July to one count of stealing a firearm from a licensed dealer. Parker, now 22 years old, pleaded guilty in October 2024 to five felony charges: stealing a firearm from a licensed dealer, two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and two counts of possession of a machine gun.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), U.S. Marshals Service, and Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Willis prosecuted the case.
"This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone," according to officials.
