Howell County Gang Member Sentenced for Illegal Firearm

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A Koshkonong man who was a member of the Gangster Disciples has been sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing a firearm.

Tanner S. Huffman, 30, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips on Thursday, Dec. 14, to eight years and six months in federal prison without parole.

On Sept. 19, 2022, Huffman pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, Huffman burglarized a residence in Hardy on Jan. 20, 2021, and stole numerous items, including firearms. The next day he was associated with the theft of another firearm in Howell County.

Huffman was located on Jan. 23, 2022, at the West Plains Motel in West Plains, where he had rented a room. Officers, who were conducting surveillance at the motel, saw Huffman arrive on a motorcycle he had stolen during the residential burglary. They went to Huffman’s motel room and arrested him. He was in possession of methamphetamine, marijuana, brass knuckles, a single round of 9mm ammunition and a key to the stolen motorcycle. Officers found a loaded Walther 9mm firearm with a high-capacity ammunition magazine in the motel room.

Officers also found seven firearms, which Huffman had stolen, at his residence, including a Savage .22-caliber rifle, a Marlin .22-caliber rifle with no serial number, a Marlin 12-gauge shotgun, a Harrington & Richardson 12-gauge shotgun, a Revelation .22-caliber rifle, a J. Stevens 16-gauge shotgun with no serial number and a Remington 30-06 rifle.

According to court documents, Huffman was a member of the Gangster Disciples, and as of 2020, was third in command of the local gang.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Huffman, who was under a state criminal justice sentence for possession of a controlled substance, has prior felony convictions for assault, receiving stolen property, resisting arrest, unlawful use of a weapon, burglary, stealing firearms, explosive weapons and possession of a controlled substance.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Howell County Sheriff’s Department, the West Plains Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hardy Police Department.

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Source: U.S. ATF, atf.gov