Chiefs DE Frank Clark formally charged with felony gun possession in March arrest

Brandon Zenner, St. Joseph News-Press, Mo.
·2 min read

Jul. 9—Prosecutors officially charged Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark with felony possession of an assault weapon Friday, a charge that could carry up to three years in prison if convicted.

Clark is due in court for an arraignment Wednesday.

The charge stems from a March arrest of the Chiefs' defensive end, which was uncovered by the Kansas City Star on June 21. The Star reported that Clark was arrested March 13 with another man on a gun charge during a traffic stop.

Clark was pulled over at 11:45 p.m. March 12 in LA County on a traffic stop when officers observed and recovered two loaded firearms — one rifle and one handgun — inside the vehicle.

Clark was released on $35,000 bond on March 13.

The Chiefs' defensive end was also arrested in a second incident June 20 in Los Angeles after police saw a submachine gun in his car.

Clark, 28, was pulled over for a vehicle violation south of downtown LA, according to LAPD public information officer Tony Im.

"Officers noticed a bag with an Uzi sticking out" in plain sight in the car," Im said.

Clark was arrested on suspicion of having a concealed firearm in a vehicle, Im said.

He was booked into Los Angeles County jail and released on $35,000 bond, according to the county sheriff's jail inmate website.

"We are aware of the matter which will be reviewed under the NFL's personal conduct policy," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said.

Clark's attorney, Alex Spiro, said the gun belonged to Clark's bodyguard.

Clark possibly faces discipline under the league's Personal Conduct Policy.

Clark, who is a native of Los Angeles, played his first four NFL seasons with the Seattle Seahawks before being traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019. He was part of the Chiefs' Super Bowl-winning team in the 2019 season and overall has 49 sacks in 91 career games.

Clark previously was arrested in 2014 on suspicion of domestic violence over an incident at an Ohio hotel, leading to his removal from the University of Michigan team. He eventually pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct.

Brandon Zenner can be reached at brandon.zenner@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @NPNowZenner.