KC Reporter

A Springfield man has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison for illegal firearm possession. Joseph Archer III, 43, received the sentence from U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips and will serve 96 months without parole.

Archer had previously pleaded guilty on October 29, 2024, to being a felon in possession of a firearm. The incident leading to his arrest occurred on June 29, 2023, when officers from the Springfield Police Department attempted to stop Archer while he was driving a Toyota Camry. Archer fled the scene, resulting in a vehicle pursuit that ended with him crashing into an officer's vehicle and later into an outbuilding. He then fled on foot before officers arrived.

Upon searching the vehicle, authorities found a stolen Taurus PT handgun along with ammunition, fentanyl, methamphetamine, mail addressed to Archer, and his Missouri Department of Corrections ID.

Federal law prohibits individuals convicted of felonies from possessing firearms or ammunition. Archer has previous felony convictions for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan and investigated by the FBI, ATF, and Springfield Police Department.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities.