A Missouri man who was among five motorists speeding through midtown has been sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing a firearm after fleeing from police officers in a high-speed chase.
George L. Gordon, 42, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs on Tuesday, July 26, to eight years in federal prison without parole.
On March 11, 2022, Gordon pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
A Kansas City Police Department helicopter spotted five vehicles driving erratically at high speed in the area of Main Street and 39th Street at about 3:30 a.m. on July 4, 2020. The vehicles were driving into oncoming lanes of traffic. When the vehicles entered U.S. Highway 71 traveling north, officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but all five vehicles fled in different directions. The helicopter continued tracking Gordon, who was driving the lead vehicle.
Gordon pulled into an empty lot in the 2600 block of Euclid Avenue, got out of his car, and jumped over a fence. When police officers arrived, Gordon jumped back over the fence, causing the Glock .22-caliber pistol in his hand to accidentally discharge. Gordon was arrested after a foot chase, and officers used a police service dog to find the pistol Gordon dropped during the pursuit.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Gordon has two prior federal convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm and was on federal supervised release at the time of this offense. Gordon also has prior felony convictions for robbery, armed criminal action, endangering the welfare of a child, domestic assault, attempted forgery, and possession of a controlled substance.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean T. Foley. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
