Three Kansas City, Mo., men and an Independence, Mo., man have been indicted by a federal grand jury for illegally selling machine guns and other firearms, some of which have been linked to prior shootings.
Antonio Manning, 21, his brother, Sheron Lamont Manning, 20, and Michael Dewayne Hardy, 20, all of Kansas City, Mo., and Dejohuan Mietz Huntley, 25, of Independence, Mo., were charged in a 23-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, May 17. That indictment was unsealed and made public on May 22 upon the arrest and initial court appearance of Antonio Manning.
The federal indictment alleges that all four defendants participated in a conspiracy to illegally traffic in firearms from May 24, 2022, to April 20, 2023. The 22 firearms included five Glock 9mm handguns, five Glock .40-caliber handguns, nine Anderson Manufacturing AR-15 style, multi-caliber pistols, a Romar/Cugir Mini Draco 7.62 x 39 caliber pistol, a Century Arms 7.62 x 39 caliber pistol, and a Glock .45-caliber pistol. Nine of the firearms allegedly were altered into machine guns.
In addition to the conspiracy, they are each charged with engaging in firearm sales without a license.
According to a detention motion filed by the government, the firearms allegedly were sold to a confidential informant monitored by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Investigators have linked several of the firearms identified in the trafficking conspiracy to other crimes of violence by utilizing the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (“NIBIN”). For example, according to the government’s detention motion, a Glock .45-caliber sold by Sheron Manning to the confidential informant was linked to a shooting at the Winnwood Skate Center, 4426 N.E. Winn Road in Kansas City, Mo., on Nov. 13, 2022. A Glock .40-caliber pistol sold by Sheron Manning was linked to an occupied residence that was struck with gunfire on Feb. 5, 2022, and another Glock .40-caliber pistol sold by Sheron Manning was linked to a shooting at North 59th and Cemech Road in Kansas City, Kansas, on Jan. 20, 2023.
A Glock 9mm pistol sold to the confidential informant by Huntley was linked to a homicide that occurred on April 9, 2019. In that incident, witnesses reported that two or three young black males armed with handguns and an AK-47-type rifle began shooting at a residence while individuals were sitting on the front steps of the house. One victim was shot and died at the hospital as a result of the gunshot wound. The same firearm was also involved in shooting the rear passenger window of a vehicle on Oct. 16, 2019.
Antonio Manning is also charged with three counts of trafficking firearms and one count of possessing an unregistered machine gun.
Sheron Manning is also charged with five counts of trafficking firearms and four counts of possessing unregistered machine guns.
Hardy is also charged with one count of trafficking a firearm and one count of possessing an unregistered machine gun.
Huntley is also charged with two counts of trafficking firearms, two counts of possessing unregistered machine guns and two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms.
The charges contained in the indictment are 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 Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
