Oklahoma man sentenced to 10 years for possession of machine gun and meth in Dunklin County

CAPE GIRARDEAU – Darius R. Clark, 36, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 10 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on Thursday. Clark was apprehended in Kennett, Missouri, on Aug. 16, 2022, with a fully automatic handgun and methamphetamine.

Arrest details

Clark was located by officers from the United States Marshals Service, the Dunklin County Sheriff’s Office, and the Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force. He was found with two backpacks. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, "Clark had two backpacks at the time of his arrest. One contained a Glock .40-caliber pistol that had been equipped with a selector switch that converted it into a fully automatic weapon. The firearm was fully loaded and there were additional magazines in the backpack, including an extended capacity magazine that was loaded with 20 rounds of ammunition."

The second backpack contained 84 multicolored tablets of methamphetamine and 17 tablets containing a mix of meth and other controlled substances, along with $1,120 in cash.

Legal proceedings and future implications

Clark pleaded guilty in September to one count of possession of a machine gun. His arrest warrant was initially issued due to charges of first-degree murder and assault with a deadly weapon in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, two weeks prior to his arrest. Following his sentencing, Clark will be returned to Oklahoma to face these charges.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence.