Independence man faces federal firearms, drug trafficking charges after two pursuits

Federal prosecutors have charged an Independence man with illegally possessing firearms and with drug trafficking after two separate high-speed vehicle pursuits.

Charles V. Bai, 27, was charged in a three-count criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City.

The arrest and criminal charges are part of the crime-fighting initiative Operation LeGend, federal prosecutors said.

According to a federal affidavit, an Independence police officer spotted a Toyota 4Runner parked in the garage at Bai’s residence on March 17. The officer recognized the vehicle, which was stolen, as one involved in a high-speed chase March 11.

In that earlier incident, federal marshals tried to arrest Bai on a felony warrant. Bai struck a Marshals Service vehicle and was able to elude agents after a brief vehicle chase was terminated because the suspect was traveling at excessive speeds, according to the affidavit.

Officers tried to pull over Bai after he left the residence driving the Toyota 4Runner. Bai fled and triggered a vehicle pursuit. The chase continued for several minutes through Independence and ended on Blue Ridge Cutoff at Interstate 70 when the vehicle crashed.

Bai ran but was arrested moments later. Authorities later recovered a Ruger 9mm pistol that was found on eastbound Interstate 70, west of Noland Road. The pistol had an extended magazine but had been run over by passing motorists. Inside the Toyota 4Runner, officers found four handgun magazines, 24 rounds of 9mm ammunition and a handgun holster.

Investigators also found Facebook messages from Bai offering the pistol for sale, according to the affidavit.

Kansas City officers stopped Bai on Wednesday. He was driving a 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, but was unable to provide a driver’s license or proof of insurance on the car. The license plate on the Monte Carlo was registered to another vehicle. Bai was given a ticket and released. Officers found a loaded handgun inside the vehicle. They determined the handgun had been stolen, according to the affidavit.

Officers then located Bai, who was driving another vehicle, and arrested him. Bai had a bag of 3.6 grams of methamphetamine in his front pants pocket and had been holding a box that contained items associated with drug distribution, the affidavit. alleges.

Operation LeGend is named after 4-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was fatally shot in June in Kansas City.

This story was originally published August 21, 2020 at 8:34 PM.