A Columbia, Missouri man has admitted guilt in federal court to a firearms offense. Lajuan Marquis Martin, 31, pleaded guilty on November 14, 2025, before Chief United States Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps in Jefferson City to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Martin was initially charged by complaint on October 16, 2025, for possessing a firearm after a previous felony conviction. The same charge was included in an indictment returned by a grand jury in Kansas City on October 28.
According to the affidavit from the original complaint, Martin was arrested by Columbia police officers for driving with a suspended license. During processing at the Columbia Police Department, officers searched Martin and found pills and bags of white powder falling from his pant legs. They also discovered a Taurus PT 738 .380 caliber firearm concealed in his shoe. Because of prior felony convictions—including an earlier federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm—Martin is barred from owning firearms.
Under federal law, Martin faces up to 15 years in prison and supervised release. “The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.” A sentencing hearing will be scheduled following completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Kummerer is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the Columbia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
“This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).”
