KC Man Sentenced to 19 Years for Illegal Firearm, Crack Cocaine Conspiracy

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and for illegally possessing a firearm.

Jason L. Clark, 38, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to 19 years and seven months in federal prison without parole. Clark was sentenced as an armed career criminal due to his prior felony convictions.

On March 21, 2017, Clark pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Co-defendant Carlos A. Hill, 42, of Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty on March 15, 2017, to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy, to being a felon in possession of a firearm and to distributing crack cocaine. Hill is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 11, 2017.

Clark admitted that he and Hill were present at their residence when a confidential informant purchased a stolen Inter Ordnance 7.62 x 39mm rifle on May 25, 2016. When the informant arrived to purchase the rifle, Hill pointed towards the bed of a red El Camino that was parked in front of the residence. The informant picked up a black plastic trash bag with the rifle inside it from the bed of the vehicle. When the informant started to pay Hill $600 for the rifle, Hill directed the informant to pay Clark for the purchase of the firearm. Clark then got into the El Camino and drove away.

On June 14, 2016, the confidential informant again met with Hill at his residence. Hill was packaging crack cocaine into distribution quantities and had approximately 18 ounces of crack cocaine already packaged. The informant saw Clark and others in the kitchen of the residence converting powder cocaine into crack cocaine. The informant saw approximately half a kilogram of cocaine inside the residence.

Clark was arrested on June 21, 2016, following a traffic stop after leaving Hill’s residence. Officers found an FNH 9mm pistol under the center console of the vehicle as well as several plastic baggies of cocaine, marijuana and alprazolam.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Clark has three prior felony convictions for distribution of a controlled substance, two prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance, and prior felony convictions for trafficking and for aiding and abetting the distribution of crack cocaine.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Q. McCarther. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.