KC Reporter

A Grandview, Missouri man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison without parole for illegally possessing a firearm. John L. Arrocha, 50, received the sentence from U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs after pleading guilty on January 29, 2025, to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The incident occurred on June 2, 2024, when Kansas City police officers responded to a business in the 4300 block of Main Street following reports of a trespasser causing a disturbance. Officers found Arrocha at the scene and he refused to leave the property. When officers attempted to arrest him for trespassing, Arrocha resisted and threatened to kill the arresting officers. A search conducted after his arrest revealed that Arrocha had a North American Arms Guardian .380 caliber pistol that had previously been reported stolen from Claycomo, Missouri. Further investigation showed that Arrocha was already a convicted felon.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Kansas City Police Department.

"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."