A Jamaican national living illegally in Branson, Missouri, has been sentenced in federal court for unlawful possession of a firearm. Akeem A. Sirdine, 23, received a two-year prison sentence without parole from U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool and will be subject to three years of supervised release after serving his term.
Sirdine pleaded guilty on August 26, 2025, to one count of possessing a firearm as an illegal alien. He had entered the United States on a J1 student visa that expired in September 2024 but remained in the country past that date. When arrested in February 2025, Sirdine was found with a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol equipped with an extended magazine. Federal law prohibits individuals unlawfully present in the United States from possessing firearms.
The prosecution was led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark. The investigation involved multiple agencies: the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations unit, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Taney County Sheriff’s Office.
“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.”
The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri manages federal prosecutions such as this across 66 counties stretching from Iowa to Arkansas and works closely with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners according to its official website. The office provides services including prosecution of federal crimes and supports community outreach programs aimed at reducing violent crime.
The primary office is located in Kansas City with staffed locations also in Jefferson City and Springfield (source). The office operates within federal law enforcement under the U.S. Department of Justice (source).
