Sedalia Man Pleads Guilty to Meth, Illegal Firearm

Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Sedalia, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court on November 1 to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and to illegally possessing a firearm.

Justin Ray Shelledy, 38, of Sedalia, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge William A. Knox to the charges contained in a March 17, 2016, federal indictment.

Shelledy admitted that he was in possession of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, with the intent to distribute, on March 4, 2016.

Shelledy also admitted that he was in possession of a Ruger 9mm handgun and ammunition on March 4, 2016. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Shelledy has prior felony convictions for unlawful use of a weapon and domestic assault.

According to court documents, Shelledy was arrested on an outstanding Pettis County warrant after getting out of his vehicle at his residence on March 4, 2016. Sedalia police officers found a black sunglasses case in his left jeans pocket. Inside the case was a plastic baggie that contained approximately 6.9 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 1.5 grams of marijuana and five prescription pills. Officers then searched Shelledy’s vehicle and located two cell phones and a loaded magazine for the Ruger 9mm handgun. Officers found the handgun inside the house in a bedroom closet along with another loaded magazine. In the same bedroom, officers found a box that contained three baggies with a total of 57.7 grams of methamphetamine.

Under federal statutes, Shelledy is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 50 years in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence E. Miller. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Sedalia, Mo., Police Department and the Pettis County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.

Press release from the office of Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri