A North Platte man, who is a convicted felon, is facing charges after police found him in possession of an assault rifle.

At around 2:00 p.m., on November 12, officers with the North Platte Police Department responded to a residence in the 1300 block of East 12th Street, after receiving a report that a fugitive was in the residence.

Officers arrived and made contact with 26-year-old Anthony Apodaca, Jr., who was a resident of the home.

According to Officer Rodney Brown, the responding officers reported smelling burning marijuana coming from inside the residence.

As a result, officers conducted a search of the house and located a baggie containing less than an ounce of marijuana and a SKS assault style .762 rifle and a 50-round clip.

Further investigation revealed that Apodaca was a convicted felon, and was prohibited from possessing firearms.

He was taken into custody and transported to the Lincoln County Detention Center, where he was jailed on a charge of possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person.  He was also cited for possession of marijuana.

If convicted of the Class 1D felony, Apodaca faces a minimum of three years in prison and a maximum of 50 years.

 

Brown said the wanted subject officers were originally called for, 23-year-old Virgil Apodaca, Jr., was not located.