Press Release
☷Independence Man Sentenced for Meth Trafficking Illegal Firearm
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ( By Press Release office)
Mar 09,2024
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An Independence man got sentenced in federal court today for having methamphetamine to distribute and illegally having a firearm . Sigal Wesley Hughes , Jr . , 48 , got sentenced to 12 years and eight months in federal prison without parole by U . S . District Judge Brian C . Wimes . On Sept . 13 , 2023 , Hughes pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition , one count of having methamphetamine with the intent to distribute , and one count of having a firearm involved in a drug - trafficking crime . Independence police officers pulled Hughes over on April 15 , 2023 , when they saw him driving a stolen license plate on a 2022 Chevrolet Tahoe . Hughes stopped the vehicle as told , but then quickly accelerated and fled on foot once the officers opened the door . The pursuit ended when the Tahoe got stuck in Blue Valley Park . During the chase , officers saw Hughes throw a black bag from his vehicle that had a loaded Cobra . 380 - caliber semi - automatic handgun , an ammunition magazine , and 17 . 4 grams of methamphetamine . Hughes admitted to selling methamphetamine for the past three months and using it every day . It ' s against federal law for someone with a felony conviction to have a firearm or ammunition . Hughes has multiple prior felony convictions for tampering , receiving stolen property , driving while suspended/revoked , theft , stealing a motor vehicle , unlawful possession of a firearm , possession of a controlled substance , and resisting arrest . The case was prosecuted by Assistant U . S . Attorney Jess Michaelsen and investigated by the Independence Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives ( ATF ) . This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods ( PSN ) , a program that aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence and make neighborhoods safer . The Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy on May 26 , 2021 , to strengthen PSN .
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