Sentencing set for Joplin man on federal weapons charge

An 8:30 a.m. January 21 sentencing hearing has been scheduled in U. S. District Court in Springfield for Nathan Ray Spencer, 33, Joplin, on a weapons charge.

Spencer pleaded guilty June 12 to the charge, which stemmed from a February 26 Joplin Police Department traffic stop on Rangeline.

The details of the case against Spencer were spelled out in arrest information provided by JPD officer Chad Comer, who is also a member of the FBI Task Force.

On or about February 26,2024, JPD Officer Joshua Cahoon was conducting patrol duties near 3500 South Rangeline Road in Joplin, Newton County, within the Westem District of Missouri. Officer Cahoon observed a 2009 Chevrolet 2500 truck he knew to belong to Nathan Ray SPENCER.

Officer Cahoon believed the window tint on the vehicle was darker than allowed by Missouri law. Officer Cahoon followed the vehicle as it crossed Rangeline Road on 36th Street entering the Sam's Club parking lot located at 3536 Hammons Boulevard in Joplin, Newton County, within the Western District of Missouri.

Officer Cahoon conducted a stop on the vehicle in the parking lot for the illegal tint and contacted the driver of the vehicle, identified as SPENCER. Officer Cahoon utilized a department issued tint meter to analyze the tint on the vehicle. The tint meter showed the light transmission on SPENCER's vehicle to be at four percent (4%). Missouri law allows for window tinting with a light transmission of thirty-five percent (35%). Therefore, SPENCER's window tint was not Iegal under Missouri law.

Officer Cahoon was aware of intelligence that SPENCER was armed and selling narcotics. Officer Cahoon requested permission to search the vehicle which SPENCER denied. Officer Cahoon had SPENCER and the sole passenger seated in the front seat passenger seat exit the vehicle.

Officer Cahoon utilized his department issued K-9 partner to conduct an exterior sniff of the vehicle. Officer Cahoon's K-9 partner alerted to the odor of narcotics in the vehicle and the vehicle was searched.

While searching the vehicle, Officer Cahoon located a loaded syringe beside the console and driver's seat. The syringe contained a liquid that was later field tested using the TruNarc system. That liquid field tested positive for a mixture of fentanyl and methamphetamine.

Officer Cahoon located two additional syringes, a cut straw, and a piece of aluminum foil with residue. Officer Cahoon continued to search the vehicle and located inside the center console of the vehicle a brown, Taurus nine-millimeter pistol, model GX4, bearing serial number I GC60831. This firearm was loaded at the time of recovery.

Officer Cahoon then opened the driver's side rear door and located a bullet resistant vest hanging in the vehicle. On the floorboard between the front and rear seats, Officer Cahoon located a Smith and Wesson nine-millimeter pistol, model M2, bearing serial number NDS68l5. This firearm was also loaded at the time of recovery.