KC Reporter

An Illinois resident, Steven Ray Dennis, has been sentenced to 120 months in federal prison without parole for possession of a stolen firearm. The sentence was delivered by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes.

Dennis, 35, pleaded guilty on July 7, 2020, to a Superseding Information, acknowledging that he had a stolen firearm in his possession. According to his plea agreement, Dennis was identified by an officer from the Columbia, Mo. Police Department after private security from a local bar reported a man in a Chicago Bulls hat and jacket heading to his vehicle for a firearm. Dennis, matching the description, attempted to flee when questioned but was apprehended after a brief pursuit. During the chase, he discarded his hat and jacket, which officers later found to contain a .32 caliber revolver loaded with five rounds. The revolver was identified as stolen. Dennis also has prior felony convictions.

Following his plea deal in 2020, court documents revealed Dennis failed to appear and became a fugitive until his arrest in the Chicago area in January 2025.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Kummerer, with investigations conducted by the Columbia, Mo. Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

The case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program designed to lower violent crime and gun violence, enhancing community safety. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a strategy to strengthen the PSN by fostering community trust, supporting violence prevention organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring results.