KANSAS CITY, MO. — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Missouri, Western), published as received.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute and possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.
James Paden, 63, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips on Tuesday, May 27, to 12 years in federal prison without parole. Paden was sentenced as a career offender due to his prior felony convictions.
On Nov. 18, 2024, Paden pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On Feb. 22, 2024, investigators of the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department executed a search warrant on Paden’s residence after a confidential informant purchased tablets labeled “M30”, which contain fentanyl, from Paden on three occasions. Investigators found a total of over 60 grams of fentanyl, 22 grams of cocaine, and 1 gram of methamphetamine. Investigators also found a Smith & Wesson, .38 caliber revolver, a Taurus, G2 Millenium, 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a privately manufactured 9mm semi-automatic pistol with no serial number, with a Louis Vuitton design, and $1,000 in cash.
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department and the FBI.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
