A cache of stolen guns has been recovered with the arrest of a man who’s jailed in Marshalltown. Assistant Marshall County Attorney Paul Crawford says Ronnie Jo Spencer of Marshalltown was arrested after a police investigation into the theft.He was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and also accessory-after-the-fact, for possessing about 14 guns taken in a burglary in March in Marshalltown. Spencer’s accused of trying to dispose of the weapons, and apparently it was his attempt to get rid of them that brought police investigating his connection with the theft. Police tell the prosecutor the investigation’s continuing and could involve additional charges against other people — he explains Spencer’s NOT accused of committing the burglary in which the guns were stolen. The investigation may lead to more arrests. A Marshalltown man had reported two months ago that a number of guns he’d collected were taken from his home, including rifles, shotguns, loaded handguns and a Chinese assault rifle. Crawford says Spencer remains jailed following his initial court appearance and he has a preliminary hearing May 28. Police also notified the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and if that agency decides to file charges in the case, the man could be tried in federal court.
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