Felon goes to Facebook aiming to trade AR-15 for handgun, police say

Storm Lake Police made an arrest Monday after an investigation into the alleged possession, sale and purchase of weapons by a convicted felon.

William Kurtz, 21, of Storm Lake, was reportedly attempting to acquire weapons via Facebook.

Police arranged for an exchange of firearms between Kurtz and an undercover police officer.

At 2:35 p.m. Monday police met with Kurtz near the Field of Dreams Sports Complex on West 10th Street, at which time Kurtz allegedly exchanged an AR-15, 5.56 caliber assault rifle for a .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun.

Kurtz provided police cash to be used as a down payment towards another handgun Kurtz wished to purchase from the undercover officer.

After completion of the transaction the Storm Lake Police Department Tactical Entry Team moved in and stopped Kurtz’s vehicle on West 10th Street. With the use of diversion and tactics, police extracted Kurtz from his vehicle before he could arm himself.

Police secured the .45 caliber handgun from Kurtz’s vehicle. Police also secured the AR-15.

At 2:40 p.m. police executed a search warrant of Kurtz’s residence at 700A West Ninth St., where police took a woman into custody for questioning. Police seized a second AR-15 rifle, 17 rife ammunition magazines, several hundred rounds of ammunition and several rifle sights including a red dot, laser and magnified scopes.

Police charged Kurtz with three counts of possession of a firearm by a felon and acquiring a pistol without a permit. He was booked into the county jail on a $17,000 bond. The woman was questioned and released without charges.

No injuries were reported.