A Sedalia man pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to charges of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and illegally possessing a firearm.
According to information from Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, Justin Ray Shelledy, 38, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge William A. Knox to the charges contained in a March 17 federal indictment.
Shelledy admitted he was in possession of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, with the intent to distribute, March 4.
Shelledy also admitted he was in possession of a Ruger 9mm handgun and ammunition. 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 a Sedalia Police Department report, a Pettis County Sheriff’s Office deputy told a SPD officer a subject, identified as Shelledy, with a warrant was at a business in the 1600 block of East Broadway Boulevard.
According to court documents, Sedalia police officers found a black sunglasses case in his left jeans pocket containing 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.
The officers then went to Shelledy’s residence in the 600 block of North Heard Avenue, according to the SPD report.
Court documents state 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. The police report states officers also found drug packaging materials.
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 Police Department and the Pettis County Sheriff’s Office.
