KC Reporter

A Kansas City man has been sentenced to five and a half years in federal prison for his involvement in a firearms trafficking conspiracy. Fedo A. Manning, 24, received a 66-month sentence without parole from U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips, followed by three years of supervised release.

Manning admitted on April 17, 2025, that he participated in an agreement to sell firearms to individuals barred from possessing them under federal law. According to court documents, the group trafficked at least 22 firearms to known felons or sold guns converted into unregistered machineguns. Manning acted as a straw purchaser by buying firearms from licensed dealers so they could be resold to prohibited individuals. Between January 13, 2023, and May 11, 2022, investigators found that Manning purchased at least 40 firearms—33 of which were Anderson Manufacturing Model AM-15s—from licensed dealers. At least seven of these guns were later recovered during crime investigations in the Kansas City area.

One firearm purchased by Manning was recovered at the scene of the February 14, 2024 shooting during celebrations for the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory. The loaded Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 pistol was found with two other AR-15-style firearms and backpacks near a wall at the scene. The pistol’s magazine held 26 live rounds out of a possible 30 and was set to fire position.

On April 14, 2025, co-defendant Antonio Manning Sr., Fedo Manning’s brother, also admitted guilt for participating in selling firearms to prohibited persons. He acknowledged being involved in selling at least nine illegal firearms—including one unregistered machinegun—and was sentenced on August 7, 2025 to four years in prison without parole and ordered to pay $11,260 as part of a criminal forfeiture judgment.

Another brother, Sheron Manning, pleaded guilty on January 22, 2025 to conspiring to traffic firearms and illegally trafficking a converted machinegun. He received a sentence of nearly five years in prison on May 21, 2025.

Dejohuan Mietz Huntley pleaded guilty on February 21, 2024 to conspiracy charges related to firearm trafficking and possession of an unregistered machinegun as well as being a felon in possession of a firearm. On June 26, Huntley was sentenced to just under six years in prison without parole.

The prosecution was led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford following an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

According to the Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America initiative (https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/operation-take-back-america-department-justice-launches-new-nationwide-effort-combat-illegal), this case is part of broader efforts targeting violent crime linked with illegal immigration and transnational criminal organizations through collaboration among various law enforcement programs such as Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

"This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN)."

###