A Kansas City, Kansas man was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison without parole for illegally possessing a firearm. Aaron T. Fant, 35, received the sentence from U.S. Chief District Judge Brian C. Wimes after being found guilty of being a felon in possession of a Glock .45 caliber handgun.
The incident occurred on March 20, 2023, when Fant tried to force his way into an acquaintance’s apartment. According to court documents, Fant punched the woman in the chest as she attempted to close the door and later struck her 16-year-old son in the head with a handgun when he intervened. The woman managed to lock Fant out, and as he left, he threatened them by saying, “If you call the police, I will kill you.” The juvenile required medical attention at Children’s Mercy Hospital for a head wound.
Fant was arrested on March 29, 2023, after a standoff with law enforcement at a Kansas City hotel. During the confrontation, he made several threats including statements such as “I have a gun,” “I’m armed,” “You’ll have to kill me” and “Come in and get me.” Law enforcement used a gas projectile to end the standoff; officers then found a loaded Glock handgun in his vehicle.
Fant has nineteen prior felony convictions.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh prosecuted the case following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.”
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri manages federal prosecutions across 66 counties from Iowa to Arkansas borders and maintains offices in Kansas City, Jefferson City and Springfield. The office works with various law enforcement partners at multiple levels to address issues like violent crime and drug trafficking (https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmo). It is affiliated with the U.S. Department of Justice (https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmo).
