On the evening of January 27, 2021, a long-term weapons-trafficking investigation conducted by the Jefferson County Sherriff’s Office and the Fairfield Police Department culminated in a joint operation involving those agencies, along with the Wapello County Sheriff’s Office, Ottumwa Police Department, the Iowa State Patrol, and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, with support from the Jefferson and Wapello County Attorney’s offices. A high-risk warrant was executed on the home of Gregory Warnke in rural Wapello County, near Hedrick, IA. Inside the home, Mr. Warnke was found to be in possession of a number of illicit offensive weapons and weapons devices, to include rifles illicitly modified to be fully-automatic, short-barreled rifles, a silencer/suppresser, substantial quantities of ammunition, as well as equipment and gear used in the manufacture of firearms. Mr. Warnke was also found in possession of controlled substance methamphetamine and marijuana.
Mr. Warnke is a convicted felon, thus the possession of any firearm is illegal in the State of Iowa. His possession of illegal offensive weapons such as an automatic, short-barreled, suppressed rifle, along with the equipment to manufacture the same, along with controlled substances, is all the more concerning to public safety.
Mr. Warnke is presently being held in the Wapello County Jail awaiting initial appearance by the magistrate.
A criminal charge is only an accusation and the Defendant is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty in a Court of Law.