A Springfield, Missouri man was sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing a stolen firearm linked to two shootings. Jayden Isaac Simmonds, 19, received a 63-month sentence in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to being an unlawful user of a controlled substance while possessing a firearm.
Simmonds admitted that he possessed a stolen Smith and Wesson 10mm semi-automatic pistol. He also acknowledged daily marijuana use and addiction to fentanyl. In addition, Simmonds confirmed his membership in the “1500” gang, which is closely associated with another local group known as FTO.
According to court documents, on January 30, 2024, the Springfield Police Department responded to a car accident where one driver reported that his two passengers, including Simmonds, had fled the scene and taken his firearms. The next day, police investigated a drive-by shooting and found shell casings matching the firearm taken during the incident.
On August 23, 2024, Simmonds’s father turned over the Smith & Wesson pistol to authorities. Investigators later determined that it had been stolen.
After his arrest, Simmonds told investigators about his long-term substance use: “he had been using marijuana daily since he was 11 or 12 years old,” and “had been using opioids since he was around 15 or 16,” eventually progressing to fentanyl use.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan and investigated by multiple agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Christian County Sheriff’s Department; and Springfield Police Department.
“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.”
