Phelps County Felon Caught with Guns and Methamphetamine Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison

ST. LOUIS - U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Friday sentenced a convicted felon caught with guns and methamphetamine to 15 years in prison.

Clifford Pankey, 42, pleaded guilty in July to being a felon in possession of a firearm and admitted distributing meth, making meth and possessing numerous firearms as a convicted felon, including stolen and defaced firearms.

Law enforcement officers conducting a court-approved search of Pankey's home south of St. James on Jan. 26, 2023, encountered Pankey, who admitted possessing meth and guns. Officers found a .22 caliber revolver with a partially defaced serial number, a defaced Ruger.380 caliber semiautomatic pistol, three rifles, four pistols and a shotgun. They also found stolen property and about 230 grams of meth that Pankey said he intended to sell.

The case was investigated by the Phelps County Sheriff's Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Becker prosecuted the case.