Federal court charges man arrested during standoff in KCMO for alleged crimes in 2021

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - A man who was arrested during a standoff on Blue Ridge Boulevard last night is now facing federal charges for crimes he’s accused of committing in 2021.

The standoff in the 2300 block of Blue Ridge Boulevard happened after three offers were shot in the same area on Tuesday night. Their injuries were non-life-threatening. The standoff came to an end late Wednesday afternoon.

On Wednesday afternoon, the U.S. Department of Justice said that 50-year-old Jimmie R. Lewis, Jr. was not only arrested during the standoff on Tuesday night but that he is facing federal charges for alleged crimes unrelated to the standoff.

Lewis has been charged with possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Lewis is still in custody pending a detention hearing on March 6.

According to an affidavit, Lewis was driving a Ford F-150 east on 23rd Street in Independence on Nov. 7, 2021. Because the truck matched the description of a stolen vehicle, an Independence officer tried to conduct a vehicle check.

However, Lewis led officers on a high-speed pursuit that reached speeds of up to 100 mph. He passed other vehicles and ran stop signs before hitting a curb near Norledge and Evanston in Independence. That flattened one of the truck’s tires.

Lewis ran away but was apprehended.

He had $2,084 in his pocket. A backpack he was carrying had a loaded Taurus 9mm handgun and nine plastic bags, which contained a total of 395.64 grams of methamphetamine, inside. Officers also found 19.17 grams of methamphetamine under the passenger’s seat in the truck.

Lewis has multiple prior felony convictions. The most recent were two counts of assault and one count of resisting/fleeing arrest in a Jackson County case. Federal law states it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of a firearm or ammunition.

Because these are federal charges, a mugshot is not available.

UPDATE: On Thursday, the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office released a statement regarding some allegations that the office failed to charge Lewis for the alleged crimes in 2021. Rather, the prosecutor’s office says it was never asked to charge Lewis.

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