KC Reporter

A St. Louis man has been sentenced to more than nine years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.

Michael Lamont Miller, Sr., 44, received a sentence of 110 months in federal prison without parole from U.S. District Judge Douglas Harpool. After completing his state sentences on unrelated matters, Miller will begin serving his federal sentence. He will also be subject to three years of supervised release after his prison term.

Miller pleaded guilty on February 4, 2025, to one count of illegal possession of a firearm. The charge stems from an incident on March 30, 2022, when Christian County law enforcement stopped Miller for a traffic infraction. During the stop, Miller admitted there was a firearm in his vehicle. Officers found a loaded Springfield-Armory XDS 9mm semi-automatic handgun with a round in the chamber and illegal substances nearby.

Federal law prohibits individuals convicted of felonies from possessing firearms or ammunition.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Branson Police Department, Christian County Sheriff’s Department, and Missouri State Highway Patrol.

This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative that coordinates efforts among various levels of law enforcement and community organizations to reduce violent crime and gun violence across the country. In May 2021, the Department announced an updated strategy for PSN focused on building trust within communities, supporting local organizations working to prevent violence before it starts, setting targeted enforcement priorities, and evaluating outcomes (https://www.justice.gov/psn).

"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 our 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 our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results."