SPRINGFIELD, MO. — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Missouri, Western), published as received.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court yesterday for illegally possessing a firearm.

Kai Wesley Burton, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to 100 months in federal prison without parole, followed by three years of supervised release.

Burton was previously convicted of multiple felonies including unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. In May 2025, the Springfield, Missouri Police Department responded to a call at a restaurant in Springfield, Mo. Witnesses reported that a vehicle driven by Burton went through the drive-thru, bypassing the order kiosk, and drove directly to one of the windows. When he reached the window of the drive-thru, Burton had a pistol on his lap and that pistol was pointed at the building. Burton provided the employee at the window with a sticker containing a food order that had been placed and fulfilled about an hour prior. Due to the presence of the firearm, the employees made the food and gave it to Burton. Burton then drove away without paying for the food.

Burton returned to the restaurant several hours later. An officer attempted to stop and contact Burton. Burton then fled the scene. As police were trying to catch up to Burton, he abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot. Officers located the vehicle a short time later. When officers searched the vehicle, they recovered a pistol with a 30-round extended magazine under the driver’s seat, a second pistol on the driver’s seat, methamphetamine, and a cellular phone belonging to Burton.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition.     

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Greene County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office, and the Springfield, Missouri Police Department.

Operation Take Back America

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.