Man Sentenced to 80 Months in Federal Prison
Marquese Gaten, 24, received the federal sentence for possessing a stolen firearm and making a false statement while attempting to buy a gun.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Crime — General
A federal judge sentenced Marquese Gaten, 24, to 80 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Gaten pleaded guilty on November 13, 2025, to a two-count superseding information covering a stolen firearm and a false statement made during a gun purchase attempt.
Why it matters
The case links a federal firearms conviction to a fatal shooting and to pending state charges, showing how gun-possession violations can carry serious consequences even while other charges remain open. Gaten still faces state charges of stealing and tampering with physical evidence in Greene County.
Gaten has been sentenced in federal court to 80 months in prison, with three years of supervised release to follow. State charges of stealing and tampering with physical evidence remain pending in Greene County, with a plea hearing set for November 16, 2026.
The players
Marquese Gaten
Marquese Gaten, 24, is the Springfield man sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to firearm-related federal charges.
Greene County Circuit Court
The Greene County Circuit Court is the state court in Missouri where Gaten's pending state charges of stealing and tampering with physical evidence will be heard.
The details
Gaten admitted to shooting David Franklin in January 2025 in a Post Office parking lot on West Bennett Street, then took Franklin's firearm and cell phone and threw both guns and phones out of his car while fleeing. He later turned himself in, and ballistics testing linked the gun to two additional 2024 shootings. Gaten told investigators Franklin had been threatening him at Club Rodeo and had brandished a handgun, though the case has not been further detailed here.
Timeline
August 10, 2024: Gaten attempted to buy a firearm at a gun show at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds.
January 2025: Franklin was shot and killed in a Post Office parking lot on West Bennett Street.
November 13, 2025: Gaten pleaded guilty to a two-count superseding information.
November 3, 2026: Gaten was sentenced to 80 months in federal prison.
November 16, 2026: A plea hearing on state charges is scheduled in Greene County Circuit Court.
Legal Context
Federal prosecutions for false statements during firearm purchases are a recurring tool for charging people who conceal prohibited status when buying guns. Gaten's case follows this pattern, with federal charges resolved separately from the state charges still pending in Greene County.
The case reflects ongoing federal enforcement against people who lie about prohibited status to buy firearms, which affects gun sellers and gun show vendors who must screen buyers. For Springfield residents, the sentence closes one chapter of a case tied to a fatal shooting near a Post Office on West Bennett Street.
The takeaway
Federal gun charges can proceed independently of state cases tied to the same conduct, so a single incident may produce several separate court dates. Readers following the case should watch the Greene County Circuit Court docket for the November 16, 2026 plea hearing.
What happens next
Gaten is scheduled to appear in Greene County Circuit Court on November 16, 2026, for a plea hearing on the pending state charges of stealing and tampering with physical evidence.
Further reading
For related coverage, see Crime — General in Springfield.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Ozarks First.
