KC Reporter

A Springfield, Mo., business owner was indicted by a federal grand jury today for illegally possessing a firearm.

Garry Earl Shidler, 49, was charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield. Shidler is the owner of Chappell’s Tire in Springfield.

The indictment alleges that Shidler was in possession of a Colt 5.56-caliber semi-automatic rifle with a 30-round magazine on Dec. 18, 2023.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Shidler has three prior felony convictions for burglary and prior felony convictions for forgery, tampering and trafficking in stolen identities.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the Springfield Police Department, the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Project Safe Neighborhoods

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring results.