A Missouri man who was arrested when he fell asleep in another person’s car was sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing a firearm.
Christopher Chappell, 31, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to nine years in federal prison without parole.
On Nov. 16, 2021, Chappell pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Chappell was arrested on June 1, 2019, when Kansas City police officers responded to a call from a woman who found Chappell, whom she didn’t know, asleep in her Honda CRV. Officers found Chappell asleep in the driver’s seat of the vehicle, which was parked on the street. Chappell, who appeared to be impaired, was wearing a gun holster with a Smith & Wesson 9mm semi-automatic pistol. When officers inspected the vehicle, they saw the steering column had been destroyed.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Chappell has prior felony convictions for burglary, tampering with a motor vehicle, attempted aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer with a vehicle, and possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maureen Brackett and Matt Moeder. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
