CHARLES CITY – A trial date and not guilty plea have been entered for a Charles City man caught with a rifle on school property.
Joshua Nathaniel Johnson, age 41, has pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of carrying weapons on school property. His jury trial date is set for May 21, 2015, with a pre-trial conference scheduled for May 5.
On Saturday, January 31, 2015, at 7:38 p.m. an officer with the Charles City Police Department encountered Johnson walking in the 500 block of North Grand Avenue and openly carrying an unloaded weapon. At the time of the encounter, he was on school district property.
Johnson allegedly violated Iowa Code section 724.4 Iowa Code section 724.4 that specifically states, “a person who goes armed with, carries, or transports a firearm of any kind, whether concealed or not, on the grounds of a school commits a class ‘D’ felony.” HIs unloaded weapon was confiscated.
Joshua Nathaniel Johnson is not related to Mr. Josh R. Johnson, the Charles City High School Principal.
The weekend activities at the Charles City Middle School had concluded for the day at the time of the incident. No students were in the building at the time.
That is a pretty chicken charge. I hope he beats it.