Palo man pleads guilty in recent burglary where 75 firearms were stolen

One of the five defendants charged in the burglary of a Palo business in January, where 75 or more firearms were stolen, pleaded guilty last week in plea deal that also included two previous drug charges not related to the burglary.

Jeremy McAtee, 34, of Palo, pleaded guilty March 14, in Linn County District Court to second-degree burglary and possession of firearms as a felon in the Palo burglary. He also pleaded guilty to two charges of possession of a controlled substance from an incident in November 2012.

Linn County Attorney Jerry Vander Sanden said McAtee will serve 10 years because all the charges will run concurrently according to the plea agreement. No sentencing date is set at this time.

According to a search warrant affidavit filed earlier this month, investigators recovered a cutting torch set and oxygen tanks from  McAtee's residence which were stolen from 309 Church Street, a large privately owned garage. The gun found at McAtee's wasn't one of the guns stolen in the Palo burglary but he was charged for having possession of it because he has previous convictions.

Investigators also recovered a yellow wrecking bar from the burglary scene and tied it to McAtee after seeing a video surveillance tape of McAtee making the transaction at Wal-Mart, 3601 33rd Ave. SW on Jan. 29, according to the search warrant. The wrecking bar was the only one sold in the last 30 days.

Vander Sanden said the burglary investigation is ongoing and there could be additional arrests in the case. He declined to give further details about the case.

The others charged in the burglary are:

-Joshua Charmosta, 34, Cedar Rapids, was charged with Possession of Precursors, Aiding and Abetting the Manufacture of Methamphetamine, and Driving While Barred.

-Joshua Matheny, 26, Palo, was charged with Possession of a Firearm as a Felon; Possession of Stolen Property, Manufacture of Methamphetamine, Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

-John Matheny, 49, Palo, was charged with Manufacture of Methamphetamine.

-Alisha Cryder, 21, of Louisville, KY, was charged with an outstanding warrant for Theft 5th Degree.