Kennett man sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for gun, drug charges

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS) - A man from Kennett, Missouri was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Steven Chunn, 40, appeared for his sentencing hearing on Tuesday, May 16 at the federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau, Mo.

At a guilty plea hearing in February, Chunn admitted to possessing methamphetamine, intended for distribution. He also admitted that the firearm was for protection of the drugs and money obtained from drug sales.

According to a release from U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri Sayler Fleming, Chunn was found to be in possession of 59 grams of methamphetamine and a Hi Point C9 9mm semiautomatic pistol following a traffic stop in Portageville, Mo. on July 11, 2022.

The firearm was located underneath the driver seat and was loaded and ready to fire with eight rounds of hollow point ammunition in the magazine and a round in the chamber, according to the release. At the time of his arrest, Chunn had an active warrant for a parole violation on a felony drug case out of New Madrid County.

Judge Stephen Limbaugh, Jr., who presided over the sentencing hearing, ordered Chunn’s federal sentence to run consecutive to his state case.

This case was investigated by the Portageville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Hunter handled the prosecution for the government.

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