U.S. Department of Justice
A Kansas City, Kan., man has pleaded guilty to dealing in M-80s and other explosive materials without a federal license, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.
Joseph E. Quinn, 41, Kansas City, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of dealing in explosives without a license.
In his plea, he admitted that he sold illegal, homemade explosive devices to a Fourth of July fireworks stand in Kansas City, Kan.
On July 4, 2010, a Kansas City Kan., fire inspector got a tip that a fireworks stand was selling illegal fireworks.
At the stand, investigators found a sack of 70 homemade explosive devices, commonly referred to as M-80s.
The operator of the stand said he purchased them from a man he knew as “Pyro Jo.”
The investigation led to a building at 18th and Central in Kansas City, Kan., where investigators found Quinn wearing a T-shirts that said, “Big Daddy’s Fireworks.”
They recovered 4,771 M-80s, 733 M-100s, 66 M-1000s, various mortar devices and Class B fireworks and a Taurus 9 mm handgun.
Sentencing is set for Feb. 12. Both parties have agreed to recommend a sentence of 12 months home confinement followed by two years of supervised release.
Co-defendants Patrick Quinn and Stacy Sewell are set for trial Dec. 3.
Grissom commended the Kansas City, Kan., Fire Marshal, the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley for their work on the case.
