Bolivar, Missouri Woman Sentenced for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - A Bolivar, Mo. woman was sentenced in federal court today for her illegal possession of a firearm.

Summer Gomes, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips for her conviction of being a felon illegally in possession of a firearm. This defendant was charged as part of Operation Spring Cleaning, an initiative in March led by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Missouri, in coordination with law enforcement agencies across Southwest Missouri.

On June 5, 2025, Gomes was contacted by law enforcement during a traffic stop for an improper display of a license plate. During that contact, Gomes consented to a search of the vehicle she drove. During the search, officers found a Jimenez Arms .22 caliber semiautomatic firearm, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and marijuana. Gomes was sentenced to 24 months' imprisonment with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, followed by three years of post-release supervision, and payment of a $100 Special Assessment as required by law.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the FBI and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Project Safe Neighborhoods

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.