An Owensville resident was taken into police custody Monday at his residence in the 200 block of South Third on a felony warrant alleging he was a felon in possession of a firearm.

Owensville police took Ishmel Errol Martin into custody on a felony warrant alleging unlawful possession of a firearm in a case where the investigation began earlier this year in March and ended earlier this month after tests of a .22 caliber “Rossi” RS22 rifle at the local gun range showed it was a functioning weapon.

Martin is alleged to have been in possession of the rifle when he was photographed holding it in December 2021. According to the Probable Cause Statement filed as the application for a warrant. Det. Rob Green noted the same rifle had been seized previously by Owensville police after he discharged it inside the city limits.

Police had received a tip about the photograph of Martin with the rifle.

A complaint filed by Prosecuting Attorney Mary Weston described Martin as a “prior” and “persistent offender” with prior felony convictions including a 2015 second-degree burglary case in Cole County and in 2018 in Osage County for stealing more than $750. And, in 2019, he was convicted of first-degree burglary in a Cole case in late 2017.

A warrant alleging the class D felony was issued Friday. Bond was set at $7,500 case or surety. He was transported Monday evening to the Osage County Jail in Linn.

According to the PC statement, Martin is on probation for possession and delivery of a controlled substance. His criminal history includes convictions for burglary, property damage, theft, assault, armed criminal action, domestic assault, first-degree robbery, receiving stolen property, and driving without a valid license. No court appearance had been scheduled for Martin as of Tuesday morning.