(Sioux City)– An Algona man has been sentenced on federal gun charges.
38-year-old James Patrick Murphy was sentenced in U.S. District Court to more than five years in federal prison after admitting to illegally possessing stolen and loaded guns. He pled guilty previously to two counts of being a felon, drug user, domestic abuse misdemeanant in possession of firearms and one count of possessing a stolen firearm.
Authorities say Murphy was arrested after police in Algona were called to a report of a person who appeared to be sleeping behind the steering wheel of a pickup. As officers approached the vehicle they observed an AR-15 rifle and a semiautomatic pistol on the seat next to Murphy. The rifle and pistol were seized along with two fully loaded magazines, a round in a chamber, a scope, a small baggie of methamphetamine, a pouch with cellophane wrapper containing four pills and four guitar picks, a passport, and a cellphone.
An investigation revealed the guns had been stolen.
