Carthage traffic stop leads to federal indictment of Sarcoxie man on weapons charge

An October 3, 2025 Carthage Police Department led to today's unsealing of a federal indictment against Skylar Wyrick, 25, Sarcoxie, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The government filed a motion this morning asking for Wyrick to be held without bond while awaiting trial.

(From the detention motion)

On October 3, 2025, Carthage Police Department officers conducted a traffic stop for a vehicle failing to display a front license plate. The stop occurred near Cedar and Forest Street, in Carthage, Jasper County, Missouri, within the Western District of Missouri. 

Officers made contact with the sole occupant and driver of the vehicle, who was identified as Skylar Wyrick (“WYRICK”). Upon conducting the traffic stop, WYRICK immediately exited his vehicle and began approaching the patrol unit. WYRICK was also reaching into his vehicle and was commanded to stop. When asked if he had a weapon on his person to which he responded “no.” 

Officers requested consent to search his person and WYRICK asked the officer if he would be able to help him because he had an “addiction.”

WYRICK admitted that he had a methamphetamine smoking pipe in his pocket and additional ammunition in another pocket. WYRICK asked the officer if he not be charged with possessing the ammunition. 

A search of WYRICK revealed the presence of a smoking pipe with burnt residue, in addition to a handgun magazine that contained six rounds of .32 auto caliber ammunition. WYRICK claimed that
he found the magazine on the floorboard when he last cleaned the vehicle.

Because of the discovery of the ammunition and drug paraphernalia, officers conducted a probable cause search of WYRICK’S vehicle. During that search, officers noted that WYRICK was the sole occupant in the vehicle and the vehicle contained a pipe with white powdery substance in the center console, a black backpack with a box that had 5.2 grams of a crystalline substance that was recognized as methamphetamine, a black soft protective case for a handgun, an unlabeled pill container that contained a variety of colored pills, and within the hatch area of the vehicle, a KelTec, P-32, .32 auto caliber firearm, bearing serial number “CR260.” 

WYRICK admitted that the black backpack, with the soft holster for the firearm belonged to him. Officers noted that the ammunition found within the magazine found on WYRICK’S person matched the ammunition used for the firearm found in his vehicle. WYRICK admitted that he had stolen the pills
from someone because he was “broke.”

WYRICK has two prior felony convictions. One for Robbery, 2nd Degree, and one for Felony Tampering with a Vehicle, 1st Degree. All WYRICK’S prior convictions carried with them a sentence that exceed one year in the state of Missouri, making WYRICK a person prohibited from possessing a firearm pursuant to Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).

In addition to the above facts, this defendant has been convicted of two different prior felony offenses and two misdemeanor offenses. Among his criminal offenses, WYRICK has been convicted of Second-Degree Robbery that involved the defendant using a firearm. WYRICK also has prior convictions for domestic assault and obstruction of a judicial process.