KC Reporter

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes sentenced Walter Tyndal, 59, to 15 years in federal prison without parole for illegally possessing a firearm. Tyndal, deemed an armed career criminal due to his prior felony convictions, will serve this federal sentence consecutively to any parole revocation sentence in an unrelated state case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher prosecuted the case, which stemmed from Tyndal's guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm on Dec. 14, 2023. Tyndal was apprehended on Nov. 23, 2021, for a parole violation and found with a firearm and marijuana in his possession.

Tyndal's history of criminal convictions played a significant role in the sentencing decision, as federal law prohibits felons from possessing firearms. Tyndal's record includes multiple felony convictions for armed criminal action, robbery, stealing, burglary, and possessing marijuana in a correctional facility.

The investigation into Tyndal's case was a collaborative effort between the Springfield, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The prosecution and sentencing of Tyndal fall under the jurisdiction of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by fostering community trust, supporting violence prevention initiatives, and implementing strategic enforcement measures.