Columbia Man Sentenced to 8 Years for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and for Illegal Possession of a Machine Gun

COLUMBIA, Mo. - A Columbia, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing a firearm and illegal possession of a machine gun.

Caleb Devine Hunt, 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven R. Bough to 96 months in federal prison without parole for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

In November of 2023, a detective with the Columbia Police Department observed a photo on Facebook of Hunt holding a black Glock pistol with a laser and extended magazine. The detective recognized Hunt and knew he was a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms. After obtaining a search warrant, the detective located multiple images and videos of Hunt possessing the same firearm and was able to read the firearm's serial number.

On March 2, 2024, Hunt was a passenger in a vehicle pursuit with Missouri State Highway Patrol in Boone County, Mo. During the pursuit, troopers witnessed a small black object being thrown from the moving vehicle. The object was a black Glock pistol matching the serial number of the firearm Hunt possessed on Facebook. The firearm had a machine gun conversion device on it, commonly called a switch. When affixed to a Glock, the machine gun conversion device causes a single pull of the trigger to discharge rounds until the ammunition is exhausted, a malfunction occurs, or the trigger is released.

On April 24, 2024, Columbia Police Officers arrested Hunt for possession of the Glock and located three additional firearms in Hunt's possession.

Hunt has a previous felony conviction for assault in the second degree for his participation in a 2019 shooting in downtown Columbia.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the Columbia Police Department and Missouri State Highway Patrol.

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Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice's nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys' offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department's commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump's Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.