For Immediate Release
Dec. 12, 2024
A Jackson County judge on Thursday sentenced to 18 years in prison two Kansas City defendants, convicted in November of multiple felony and misdemeanor charges in connection with a gun battle on a January afternoon this year inside Crown Center, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced today.
In November, following a bench trial, the judge convicted Brian Favela, 23, and Joel Olivas, 24, identified by prosecutors as East Side gang members of two counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Class B felonies, and two counts of Armed Criminal Action, as well as three misdemeanor counts of Harassment in the 2nd Degree. The judge dismissed one count of Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Armed Criminal Action finding not enough evidence was shown to overcome Missouri's self-defense laws on those two counts.
An agreement among parties capped a prison sentence for these defendants at 25 years. Prosecutors, in a sentencing memorandum, asked the judge to impose that maximum amount due to the devastating nature of the shootings. On Thursday, the judge set the sentence at 18 years for each defendant.
Jackson County prosecutors Dion Sankar, Kristiane Bryant and Devon Tarantino prosecuted the case on behalf of the state of Missouri.
For more information, contact:
Michael Mansur
Director of Communication
Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office
Jean Peters Baker, Prosecutor
(816) 881-3812
(816) 674-3954
mmansur@jacksongov.org
https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com