A Nodaway County man has been charged with a federal firearms violation after trying to flee from law enforcement officers.
U.S. Attorney Tammy Dickinson says a criminal complaint charges Eric Maupin, 51, of Skidmore with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Maupin has multiple convictions for weapons and drug charges.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the complaint, law enforcement officers responded to a report of a domestic disturbance at Maupin’s residence on March 12, 2013. When officers entered the residence through the open front door, there was nobody in the house; however, they saw long guns positioned at the windows and exterior doors of the residence. As they were leaving the residence, Maupin’s wife told them that she and her husband had been involved in an altercation and he was still on the property.
As the officers walked from the residence, the affidavit says, a Cadillac Escalade pulled out of one of the sheds on the property and drove at a high rate of speed in the direction of the officers. They pointed their weapons in the direction of the Escalade and the vehicle stopped. The suspect was ordered to exit the vehicle. Instead, he again drove in the direction of the officers.
The officers did not fire their weapons due to the presence of children in the vehicle. According to the affidavit, Maupin backed the vehicle up and drove out another exit from the property.
The Escalade crashed at the intersection of Highway PP and Highway 46. The vehicle was able to back out and continued east on Highway 46 for approximately 100 yards before the vehicle became disabled. The driver exited the vehicle and was taken into custody by the sheriff and a state trooper after a brief struggle.
According to the affidavit, officers searched the vehicle and found a loaded Beretta .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol between the front seat and the armrest of the vehicle. They also found 11 additional firearms and ammunition in Maupin’s residence.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Maupin has prior felony convictions for conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine, carrying a concealed weapon and possession of a controlled substance.