Show-Me State Times

A Cape Girardeau man has admitted to stealing a firearm and possessing machine guns, despite being prohibited from owning firearms due to his felon status. Dayvion Jyraud Parker, 21, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to five felony charges, including the theft of a firearm from a licensed dealer and multiple counts of illegal possession of firearms.

According to court records, on June 17, 2024, Parker and an accomplice stole a Sig Sauer 9mm pistol from a federally licensed gun store in Cape Girardeau County. Parker concealed the weapon under his jacket before securing it behind his wheelchair. A week later, during a search of a residence in Cape Girardeau on June 25, law enforcement discovered Parker with two pistols hidden between the bed frame and wall. Both weapons were modified with auto sears that converted them into fully automatic firearms.

Parker was already barred from possessing firearms due to prior convictions and was wanted on an outstanding warrant while on probation for aggravated discharge of a firearm in Illinois.

Sentencing is set for January 28, 2025. The charges against Parker include up to five years for theft, up to fifteen years for each count of illegal possession by a felon, and up to ten years for possession of machine guns.

The investigation involved several agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Willis is leading the prosecution.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), aimed at reducing violent crime through collaboration among law enforcement agencies and community organizations.

"Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations," noted authorities regarding Danaje Raymond Webster, Parker's co-defendant who remains at large. "Every defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty."