Independence Man Accused of Having Gun Stolen From Officer

An Independence man has been charged with illegally possessing a handgun that was stolen from a police officer in a home burglary.

The Kansas City Star reports that 35-year-old Paul M. Leach was charged Monday in federal court. Court documents say he was arrested Sunday after pulling a loaded handgun from his waistband and throwing it into some bushes as he attempted to flee from Independence police officers. The officers were investigating a call about a suspicious person.

Authorities later determined that the gun had been reported stolen in a Lee's Summit home burglary last December and had been issued to a Belton police officer.

Leach is barred from possessing a firearm because he has several prior felony convictions. No attorney is listed for him in online court records.