MASON CITY – A Hampton man with a checkered past was arrested at a Mason City retailer after an alleged theft and forgery incident.
Mason City police were called to Mills Fleet Farm, 3200 4th Street SW, on the afternoon of November 2. Officers arrived at 2:09 PM to investigate a forgery incident. As a result, convicted felon Jonathan James Elphic, age 32 of Hampton, was arrested on charges of forgery, third-degree theft and driving while barred.
Elphic was taken to the county jail, booked and held on bond.
In August, Hampton police charged Elphic with carrying a dangerous knife of over 5 inches in length. He is awaiting a plea hearing set for December 5 in that case. He is also facing felony second-degree theft charge in Franklin county, brought by Hampton police. He awaits a jury trial on December 8. In 2009, he was charged with felony kidnapping and willful injury but was able to plead down to lesser offenses. In addition to other serious charges, he has also faced felony arson and reckless use of explosives charges and was sent to an Iowa prison in 2007 in that case.
