Sioux City, Iowa — A Cherokee man has been sentenced to four years in federal prison on firearms charges.
According to the US Attorney’s Office, 52-year-old Jason Ballou of Cherokee received the prison term after an April guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Ballou was found to be in possession of 23 firearms, three short-barreled rifles, and six silencers while law enforcement was executing a state search warrant, investigating another crime. The US Attorney’s Office says Ballou had been previously convicted of possession of prohibited firearms (a machine gun), and unlawful receipt of unregistered firearms, both in the Northern District of Iowa.
Ballou was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Ballou is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Cherokee Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
