Springfield Man Sentenced on Federal Firearm Charge (DOJ)

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing firearms.

Aaron Wayne Williams, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 104 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by an additional three years of supervised release.

Williams pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm on May 27, 2025. Williams has previous felony convictions for domestic assault in the third degree, attempted burglary in the first degree, property damage motivated by discrimination in the second degree, possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a firearm, and unlawful use of a weapon.

On Jan. 8, 2025, Springfield, Mo., Police Department officers contacted Williams after observing Williams sleeping in his running vehicle in the parking lot of the Kum & Go located at 2963 East Division Street. Officers observed a Ruger, Mini 14, semiautomatic rifle beside Williams as he slept. Officers woke Williams up and removed him from the vehicle. After a search of the vehicle, officers found three additional firearms on Williams and in the vehicle: a Taurus, G2S, 9mm pistol; an HS Produkt, XD, .40 caliber pistol; and a Star, 9mm pistol. Officers also located suspected methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, loose ammunition, and additional firearm magazines in the vehicle. When law enforcement interviewed Williams, he admitted that he was under the influence of controlled substances when he was contacted by the Springfield Police Department officers.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.

Operation Take Back America

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.