KC Reporter

A Kansas City man, Bryan A. Bay, has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays and will run consecutively to a state sentence for endangering the welfare of a child.

Bay, aged 35, pleaded guilty on February 27, 2025, to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. His legal troubles began on July 7, 2023, when officers from the Independence Police Department found him passed out in a Chevrolet Silverado and discovered he was under the influence of alcohol. A check revealed Bay is a registered sex offender with previous convictions including domestic assault and endangering the welfare of a child.

Further investigations revealed that Bay had threatened an ex-girlfriend with an AR-15 rifle on October 4, 2023. Officers later arrested him on November 10, 2023, after finding methamphetamine and another firearm in his vehicle.

Under federal law, convicted felons are prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Bay's prior felony convictions include tampering with a motor vehicle and possession of a controlled substance.

The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings and investigated by both the Independence and Kansas City Police Departments as part of Operation Take Back America. This initiative aims to combat illegal immigration and eliminate transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime.