Cape man sentenced to prison

A Cape Girardeau man has been sentenced to nearly four years in prison after pleading guilty to a federal firearm charge.

Judge Stephen Limbaugh Jr. sentenced Herschael Tanksley, 34, to 46 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

In November 2019, Tanksley fired a firearm outside a residence in Cape Girardeau and then left the scene. Authorities located Tanksley and found a semi-automatic pistol in the pocket of a jacket he was wearing.

Tanksley admitted he had the firearm for about a year.

Tanksley has a prior felony conviction for tampering with a motor vehicle in Scott County, Missouri, and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms.

This case was investigated by Cape Girardeau Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Hunter handled the prosecution for the government.