Linn Man Indicted for Illegal Firearms

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Linn, Mo., man has been indicted for illegally possessing firearms.

Charles Howard Trimble, 58, of Linn, was charged with two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm in an indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo., on Feb. 25, 2015. The indictment was unsealed and made public today upon Trimble’s arrest and initial court appearance.

The federal indictment alleges that Trimble was in possession of 12 firearms on Dec. 4, 2012, including a Gewehr bolt-action 8mm rifle, an Armscor .38-caliber revolver, a Winchester semi-automatic .22-caliber rifle, a Harrington and Richardson .30-06-caliber rifle, a Remington semi-automatic .22-caliber rifle, a Mossberg pump action .410-caliber shotgun, a Mossbergt pump action 12-gauge shotgun, a Marlin bolt action .22-caliber rifle, a Remington semi-automatic 12-gauge shotgun, a Ruger semi-automatic .40-caliber pistol and an EIG .22-caliber revolver with no serial number.

The federal indictment also alleges that Trimble was in possession of two firearms on Sept. 20, 2013, including a Taurus .357-caliber revolver and a Mossberg pump action 12-gauge shotgun.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Trimble has two prior felony convictions for driving while intoxicated and prior felony convictions for unlawful use of a weapon and forgery.

Dickinson cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Lynn. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Linn, Mo., Police Department, the Osage County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.