United States of America v. Matthew James Oakley and Daryl Bradley Maples

Springfield, MO - Two Springfield Men Plead Guilty to Stealing Guns from Pawn Shop



Two Springfield, Mo., men have pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing 23 firearms during a burglary at an Ozark, Mo., pawn shop.



Matthew James Oakley, 24, of Springfield, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to aiding and abetting in the theft of firearms from a licensed firearm dealer. Co-defendant Corey Lee Downard, 33, of Springfield, pleaded guilty to the same charge on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2015.



Co-defendants Daryl Bradley Maples, 28, of Springfield, and Michael Cameron Heston, 26, of Republic, Mo., have pleaded guilty to the same charge. Maples was sentenced on April 16, 2015, to six years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Maples to pay $5,900 in restitution.



Oakley, Downard, Maples and Heston each admitted that they broke into Sutton Gun and Pawn, 3994 N. 20th St., Ozark, at 2:16 a.m. on Dec. 21, 2012. Maples admitted that he smashed out the glass from the front door. Then he, Maples and Downard went inside and took firearms from the display cases. Oakley admitted that he was the getaway driver during the robbery.



They stole 23 firearms and various amounts of ammunition. After the burglary, Oakley sped off with Maples, Heston and Downard to Maples’ residence, where they divided the spoils of the burglary and set up plans to exchange or barter the stolen firearms for cash or drugs. It was Oakley’s understanding that he would receive money from the sale of the guns for his role as the getaway driver.



When Maples was arrested on Dec. 26, 2012, he had in his possession two of the firearms that were stolen in the pawn shop burglary, an F.N. 9mm pistol and a Colt .38-caliber revolver, as well as assorted ammunition.



Under federal statutes, Oakley, Downard and Heston are each subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250,000. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.



This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Ozark, Mo., Police Department and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.

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