Sheriff’s office charges 59-year-old Kellogg man for illegally possessing guns

Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, the Central Iowa Regional Tactical Team and the Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force executed a search warrant on a Kellogg home yesterday and arrested a man for illegally possessing firearms, marijuana and drug paraphernalia, according to a press release.

Thomas Wilkinson, 59, of Kellogg was charged with control of a firearm as a felon (Class D felony), possession of a short-barrel shotgun (Class D felony), possession of a firearm by a domestic abuser (Class D felony) and persons ineligible to carry firearms (serious misdemeanor).

While executing the search warrant, authorities located controlled substances in the home located in the 600 block of Depot Street in Kellogg. Wilkinson was charged with three counts of possession of marijuana-first offense (serious misdemeanors) and possession of drug paraphernalia (simple misdemeanor).

The search warrant was executed around 6:40 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 4. Wilkinson was taken into custody and transported to the Jasper County Jail awaiting his initial appearance on the several charges lobbed against him. The sheriff’s office said Wilkinson’s bond total is $31,000.

The Central Iowa Regional Tactical Team is a combined agency team with members from the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, Poweshiek County Sheriff’s Office, Pella Police Department, and the Grinnell Police Department.

The Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force is based in Des Moines and comprised of 20 Central Iowa agencies participating in the task force, including the sheriff’s offices in Jasper, Mahaska, Marion, and Poweshiek Counties, and police departments from Grinnell, Knoxville, Newton, Oskaloosa and Pella.

Jasper County Sheriff Brad Shutts told Newton News the search warrant was the result of an investigation. He said the sheriff’s office had received complaints of drug- and gun-related activity going on at the home. At least two firearms were seized from the home.

To submit a crime tip to your local sheriff’s office, visit the Forms, Requests and Feedback page on the Jasper County website at www.jasperia.org/sheriff/forms_requests_and_feedback/ and click “Submit a Crime Tip.”