A Jefferson City man will spend two and a half years in federal prison in connection with a weapons offense from September 2017.
Traivon Jefferson, 24, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to officials with the U.S. Attorney's Office. Once he is released from federal prison, he must complete three years of federal probation.
According to court documents, on Sept. 2, 2017, a Jefferson City police officer responded to the 2600 block of Lola Drive after an area resident reported an argument between individuals just prior to hearing a gunshot. The caller indicated the individuals were leaving the area after the gunshot.
A short time later, a JCPD officer arrived and saw a vehicle leaving the area. The officer initiated a traffic stop with the vehicle and made contact with the driver. In addition to the driver, there were two other occupants in the vehicle, one of which was Jefferson.
Police asked the driver for permission to search the vehicle, which the driver granted. During the search, an officer located a box of vinyl gloves between the front driver and passenger seats and a Taurus .40-caliber pistol in the back pocket of the front passenger seat. At the time of the traffic stop, Jefferson was sitting directly behind the front passenger seat where the handgun was discovered. In addition to the handgun, officers located a pair of used vinyl gloves shoved into the back pocket of the passenger seat. The gloves were turned inside out as if recently worn, and officers observed sweat inside the gloves.
An officer noticed the gun's barrel was warm, indicating it had recently been fired. There was no bullet in the chamber.
When an officer searched Jefferson, he located a single bullet in Jefferson's pants pocket, the same brand and caliber as those found in the gun's magazine.
A gunshot residue kit was administered to Jefferson and the remaining occupants of the vehicle. Subsequent laboratory testing conducted by the Missouri Highway Patrol Laboratory revealed gunshot residue was present on Jefferson's test. Jefferson was the only person in the vehicle for whom the gunshot residue test came back positive.
Jefferson was questioned about the ammunition found in his pocket, and he said the pants he was wearing belonged to his brother.
Prior to this incident, Jefferson had been convicted of felony theft and receiving stolen property.