Two Kansas City men have been convicted in federal court of stealing more than 100 guns from cars in the city, particularly in the Westport entertainment district, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.
Rayquan Pettaway, 25, pleaded guilty in October 2023 to one count of illegal possession of a firearm, as well as his role in the conspiracy to steal, sell and distribute stolen weapons. Roy Rushing, 27, pleaded guilty in July 2023 to possession of stolen firearms.
On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Greg Kays sentenced Pettaway to 11 years and eight months in prison, while Rushing was sentenced to nine years and two months, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Missouri.
Both sentences will be served consecutively, with additional charges pending against both defendants involved in cases in Cass County, court records show.
Two other co-defendants – Drevion Hooker and Bobby Lamb, both 22 – have already been convicted. Hooker was sentenced to seven years and one month in prison in September and Lamb was sentenced to 11 years in July.
Bloodsoe, also 22, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty in October 2023 and will be sentenced Thursday, according to the news release.
According to documents filed in federal court, Pettaway admitted that he and his four co-defendants would break into parked cars in and around Westport, steal guns and resell them on social media, including to people prohibited by law from owning a gun. Prosecutors allege the group of five stole more than 100 guns from cars between June 18 and November 19, 2021.
Pettaway and Hooker were arrested on July 11, 2021, after several Kansas City police officers tried to corner them on a Westport street, court documents show. Hooker was arrested at the scene, while Pettaway led police on a car chase in a silver Chevrolet Impala and was arrested after damaging the Impala.
According to court documents, two guns were found in the car after Pettaway’s arrest. A search of Rushing’s home in November 2021 found a further seven guns, three of which had been reported stolen.
Rushing also has theft and armed criminal charges pending in Jackson County, court records show, while Pettaway faces additional charges out of Harris County, Texas.
All five defendants are also jointly liable to pay $1,500 in restitution.
Just over half of guns stolen nationwide in 2022 were taken from cars, according to the most recent data from Everytown for Gun Safety.
In Kansas City, 151.6 guns were stolen from cars per 100,000 residents that year, according to data from Everytown.
