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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A 23-year-old Kansas City, Missouri man was sentenced in federal court Wednesday for illegally possessing a firearm after leading police on a high-speed chase.

Raymond L. Pierce was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison without parole.

On Feb. 10, 2021, Pierce pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Pierce admitted that he illegally possessed a loaded Glock 9mm handgun on Dec. 28, 2019. Pierce also admitted in his plea agreement that he was in possession of a Smith and Wesson .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun and a Glock 9mm  on July 9, 2020.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition.

Pierce has a prior felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance.

On Dec. 28, 2019, a Jackson County Sheriff’s deputy was working off-duty patrolling the area around nightclubs that were letting out on Southwest Boulevard just after 2:30 a.m.

As he was trying to move people out of the street, the deputy saw in his rear-view mirror a green Ford Mustang approaching him without its headlights on at a high rate of speed. The Mustang quickly changed lanes to avoid the deputy’s car and people in the street. The deputy attempted to pull the driver of the Mustang over, but the suspect driver fled and the deputy discontinued the chase.

Shortly after, a different Jackson County sheriff’s deputy was traveling eastbound on I-670 just east of the Broadway overpass and saw the suspect driver crash into the center concrete barrier and guard rail. The deputy stopped to help. As he approached the suspect vehicle, he saw Pierce, who was on probation, standing outside the driver’s door. As the deputy approached him, Pierce climbed back inside the vehicle, reached across the center console, and placed his hand down near the passenger side floorboard. The deputy directed Pierce to exit the vehicle and show his hands in which he refused.

Once back-up arrived, officers were able to get Pierce out of the vehicle. Officers found the loaded Glock 9mm handgun under the front passenger seat. The serial number on the barrel of the Glock was filed off and the serial number plate had been removed.

On July 9, 2020, law enforcement officers were conducting surveillance on Pierce, who had felony arrest warrants. They saw Pierce driving a silver Dodge Avenger with two passengers. 

Pierce drove to a house in Raytown where all three went into the house. When they returned to the car, they placed a backpack in the back seat. Investigators attempted to pull Pierce over, but Pierce fled, disregarding stop signs and light signals. Investigators used aerial surveillance to track him to a gas station in Kansas City, Kansas, where they again attempted to take him into custody. Pierce refused to comply again and fled, striking a law enforcement vehicle in his escape.

Officers received a call from that area about a car traveling at a high rate of speed the wrong way, which threw out a firearm and a Louis Vuitton backpack. Officers responded to the location and found a Smith and Wesson .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun. Inside the Louis Vuitton backpack, officers found the Glock 9mm handgun, the Glock 9mm extended magazine, and 115 grams of marijuana. Investigators later identified Pierce’s Facebook account. Posted to that account was a photograph of Pierce with the Louis Vuitton backpack.

Arial surveillance tracked Pierce to a Grandview residence, where he and the two passengers left the car and went into the house. Officers found Pierce hiding in the basement.