Show-Me State Times

A Clever, Missouri man has pleaded guilty in federal court to multiple firearms charges. Dakota Mitchell, 21, entered his plea before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool, admitting to one count of conspiracy to traffic firearms, one count of trafficking firearms, and one count of unlawful possession of firearms.

According to court documents, Mitchell conspired with a straw purchaser to obtain four firearms despite knowing he was prohibited from possessing them due to being an unlawful user of controlled substances. Between April 28, 2023, and July 9, 2024, Mitchell illegally possessed six Glock pistols and a Micro Draco pistol.

The case involved several incidents. On May 11, 2023, Greene County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a road rage incident where Mitchell admitted in a post-Miranda interview that he yelled at and shot at another vehicle. Officers seized two Glock pistols with high-capacity magazines from the BMW SUV Mitchell was driving.

On January 30, 2024, Springfield Police officers responded to a car accident where Mitchell displayed a firearm. The victim identified him as the driver who brandished the weapon. Officers recovered a loaded Glock .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol with a high-capacity magazine from Mitchell.

Another firearm linked to Mitchell was recovered on April 11, 2024 by Ozark School Resource officers from a vehicle parked at Ozark High School.

When arrested on July 9, 2024 in connection with vandalism allegations by Greene County Sheriff’s Office deputies, Mitchell was found carrying another Glock .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol. In interviews with law enforcement following his arrest, Mitchell said he had others purchase guns for him because he was too young to buy them himself. He explained that his straw purchaser bought several weapons for him including those seized earlier and others not recovered by police.

Mitchell also told officers he had been using marijuana daily since age eleven or twelve and occasionally used other narcotics and psychedelic drugs.

He further admitted membership in an area gang known as “FTO,” which authorities say has ties to violent crimes and firearm offenses. Many FTO members are reportedly unable to legally purchase guns due to their age or criminal history and rely on straw purchasers for access.

Mitchell faces up to fifteen years in federal prison without parole on each conviction under federal statutes; actual sentencing will be determined by the court after review of advisory guidelines and statutory factors following completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan is prosecuting the case after investigations conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Christian County Sheriff’s Office; Flossmoor (Illinois) Police Department; Greene County Sheriff’s Office; and Springfield Police Department.

This prosecution falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative designed to reduce violent crime through cooperation between law enforcement agencies and community organizations nationwide.