A Wapello County man was arrested Wednesday following a joint weapons-trafficking investigation by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the Fairfield Police Department.

According to Jefferson County Attorney Chauncey Moulding, a high-risk warrant was executed at the home of 55-year-old Gregory Warnke near Hedrick and Warnke was found to be in possession of a number of illicit offensive weapons and weapons devices. The search discovered rifles modified to be fully-automatic, short-barreled rifles, a silence/suppressor, and substantial quantities of ammunition, as well as equipment and gear used in the manufacture of firearms. The investigation also found Warnke to be in possession of methamphetamine and marijuana.

Warnke is a convicted felon making the possession of any firearm illegal in the state of Iowa. He was arrested and is being held in the Wapello County Jail awaiting his initial court appearance. The joint operation also involved the Wapello County Sheriff’s Office, Ottumwa Police Department, Iowa State Patrol, and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, with support from the Jefferson and Wapello county attorneys.