(Judge's chair in court room - KIWA Staff Stock Photo)Sioux City, Iowa — A Hull man and a Sioux City woman are heading to federal prison following a weapons investigation.
The US Attorney’s Office says 36-year-old Joseph Garlic of Hull was sentenced to 27 months behind bars for possession of a firearm as a felon. Investigators say Garlic—who is legally barred from owning guns—obtained a firearm through a straw purchase made by his then-girlfriend, 44-year-old Andrea Harrington of Sioux City.
They tell us Harrington was sentenced to three months in prison for transferring a firearm to a prohibited person, after admitting she lied on federal forms by claiming she was buying the gun for herself and wasn’t a drug user.
The case came to light after law enforcement responded to a medical emergency involving Garlic at a Sioux City store, where officers found the loaded handgun concealed in Harrington’s waistband.
Both face supervised release following their prison terms. There is no parole in the federal system.
Background and Case Details
According to court documents and evidence presented in the case:
- On March 7, 2023, Harrington filled out an ATF Form 4473, falsely claiming she was the actual buyer of the firearm and denying any unlawful use of controlled substances. She purchased the gun for Garlic, a convicted felon, repeating a pattern she had used previously without detection.
- On August 25, 2024, Harrington reported Garlic’s armed and violent behavior to a park ranger at the Hillview Recreation Area in Hinton, Iowa. While officers found a gun box at their campsite, Garlic and the weapon were gone.
- Three days later, on August 28, 2024, emergency personnel responded to a Sioux City store for a medical event involving Garlic. Recognizing he was prohibited from having a firearm, Garlic handed the loaded handgun to Harrington to hide. Responding officers retrieved the weapon from Harrington’s waistband.
