A Stanberry, Mo., man who threatened to kill law enforcement officers during his arrest has been sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing a sawed-off shotgun.
Erin L. Graves, 45, was sentenced to eight years and four months in federal prison without the possibility of parole. U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs handed down the sentence, which includes an enhancement for obstruction of justice, following multiple threats Graves made to law enforcement officers.
Graves had previously pleaded guilty on May 1, 2024, to being a felon in possession of a firearm and for possessing an unregistered firearm. He admitted to possessing a stolen Remington 20-gauge shotgun with a barrel length of less than 18 inches on January 15, 2024.
Court documents reveal that Graves referred to the sawed-off shotgun as his “cop killer” and made several violent threats, stating that if he had ammunition, officers’ heads would have been “splattered all over the wall.” During his transport to jail, Graves threatened to kill the deputy escorting him and force his family to watch. He also remarked that he should have killed the officers and promised to do so if given the chance. Further threats were made against jail guards and Department of Corrections staff, with Graves stating that he would “take as many of [them] out as he can.” He also made threatening statements about his parole officer.
Under federal law, it is illegal for a convicted felon to possess firearms or ammunition. Graves, who was on parole for two separate state cases at the time of this offense, has multiple prior felony convictions, including five for stealing, two for driving while suspended or revoked, two for tampering with a motor vehicle, two for burglary, and convictions for possession of a controlled substance and resisting arrest.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings and was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Gentry County Sheriff’s Office, and the Northwest Missouri Drug Task Force.
