Man from Springfield Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of Firearms

A man from Springfield part of a local rap group is facing decades in prison after pleading guilty to weapons charges.

19-year-old Jardell Williams pleaded guilty in Western District of Missouri court to two counts of using a controlled substance while in possession of a firearm.

Williams admitted to being in possession of two handguns, a .40-caliber Glock and a 5.56-caliber pistol when the car he was riding in was pulled over in February of 2022.

Investigators believe the 5.56 was used in three separate shooting incidents in the Kansas City area in the past several years.

Williams also admitted to regularly smoking up to a gram of marijuana per day since he was in high school.

While marijuana is now legal in Missouri, it is still considered a controlled substance under federal law when in possession of a firearm. Williams is also not 21, which is the legal age for marijuana use in the state.

He faces a maximum sentence of up to 25 years in federal prison, without the possibility of parole.