United States Drug Enforcement Administration

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Portageville, Mo., man has been convicted in a jury trial of trafficking methamphetamine and illegally possessing firearms.

Michael C. Patton, 36, was found guilty on Tuesday, Jan. 14, of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of firearms.

Patton was a passenger in a Ford sedan that was stopped by Springfield police officers on May 12, 2021. When officers searched the vehicle, they found a backpack in the front passenger floorboard that contained a loaded Beretta firearm, along with a plastic bag that contained 344 grams of pure methamphetamine and Patton’s Missouri identification. Officers also found a small black backpack in the backseat floorboard that contained a loaded revolver.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Patton has prior felony convictions for stealing, possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, and possession of cocaine with intent to sell.

Under federal statutes, Patton is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. 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 after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Springfield, Mo., deliberated for approximately two and a half hours before returning guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes, ending a trial that began Monday, Jan. 13.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.

Project Safe Neighborhoods

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.