Lang
10/30/20
A Cedar Rapids protestor who brandished an AR-15 during a Black Lives Matter march in Iowa City has been indicted on federal charges.
United States attorney Marc Krickbaum issued a statement Friday saying 20-year-old Brandon Owen of Kirkwood Parkway SW has been indicted by a federal grand jury on one charge of Unlawful Drug User In Possession of a Firearm.
Owen caught Iowa City Police officers’ attention just before 1am on June 7th when they saw him carrying an AR-15 through a large crowd of protestors. He then got into a car and left.
Police pulled Owen over for a traffic offense on the 10 block of South Gilbert Street. He allegedly told them there was a gun in the car, then reached for what later turned out to be a realistic-looking BB pistol near the driver’s seat. Owen was immediately removed from the vehicle.
A search of Owens’ Ford Fusion turned up the AR-15 officers had seen earlier, as well as marijuana.
Owen allegedly showed multiple signs of intoxication and was arrested on state charges of Operating While Intoxicated, Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Dangerous Weapon While Intoxicated. If convicted on those charges, he faces a maximum of three years in prison.
If convicted on the federal charge, Owen faces ten years in prison.