Columbia Man Sentenced for Firearms Offense (DOJ)

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - A Columbia, Mo., man was sentenced yesterday in federal court to 57 months' imprisonment for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Gerrell Eugene Lawrence, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 57 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Lawrence pleaded guilty on Feb. 3, 2026, to possessing a Glock 27, .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun in Columbia.

According to court documents, Lawrence was encountered by a Columbia Police officer on Oct. 1, 2025, and the officer later recovered a firearm, additional ammunition, and almost five grams of suspected cocaine from the vehicle Lawrence had been driving. Lawrence has a prior felony conviction for second-degree assault and is not permitted to possess a firearm.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Kummerer. It was investigated by the Columbia, Missouri Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

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.