A Kansas City, Kansas, man was charged in federal court today with stealing dozens of firearms from an Independence, Missouri, gun store.
Keyon D. Johnson, 21, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Missouri, with one count of stealing firearms from a federal licensee and one count of transporting stolen firearms across state lines. Johnson remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Aug. 20.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Johnson was charged with stealing 64 firearms from Armory KC, 10531 E. US 40 Hwy. in Independence. The firearms were stolen during a break-in at the business that occurred about 1:50 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018.
The store’s video surveillance shows a group of thieves smashing out the glass on the front door of the business, the affidavit says, then attaching a chain to the front door of the business and to the rear of a pickup truck in order to rip the door off. The thieves entered the store and used hammers to break the glass on the display cases, then placed the firearms in bags.
A cooperating source identified Johnson as one of the thieves, according to the affidavit.
On Monday, Aug. 13, investigators located a vehicle connected to the theft and attempted to conduct a traffic stop in the area of 27th Street and Parallel Parkway. The vehicle fled the area and was later found parked in a driveway.
An officer saw two persons flee the area on foot and run into a wooded area. Additional officers responded to the area to assist and located Johnson, who was placed under arrest.
Officers located a Glock 9mm handgun near where Johnson was arrested. It was determined that the firearm had been among those stolen from Armory KC. Investigators searched Johnson’s apartment and found eight additional firearms, all of which had been stolen during the Aug. 9, burglary of Armory KC, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.
The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Dunning. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the ATF-KCPD Illegal Firearms Squad and the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department.