A man who was reportedly hallucinating and thought to have military experience was arrested at Prairie Meadows Hotel and Casino in late December after being found with a semiautomatic weapon, ammunition, a handgun and methamphetamine.

Brian Steven Hochgraber, 48, faces a misdemeanor possession charge in Polk County and will be arraigned Feb. 12, court records show.

A reader who received a security alert sent to casinos by a Prairie Meadows security official asked Reader's Watchdog why Hochgraber's arrest wasn't made public earlier and why he wasn't charged with more serious crimes.

The 48-year-old wind-turbine worker from Austin, Texas, unholstered his weapon inside the casino's hotel and tried to gain access to the rooftop, according to the security alert written by Clint Pursley, vice president of security operations at Prairie Meadows.

Hochgraber made several statements early in his stay at the hotel while appearing to be hallucinating, Pursley wrote. He also appeared to have in-depth knowledge of casinos and their security operations.

"It should be noted that Hochgraber was armed carrying a handgun on his person and having an AK-style rifle, six fully loaded 30-round mags in a 'go' bag and a plate carrier (ballistics vest) located in his car," Pursley’s alert said.

The arrest came after 1.3 grams of meth were allegedly found in Hochgraber's hotel room.

Neither the Polk County Sheriff’s Department, which made the arrest, nor Polk County Attorney John Sarcone would comment.

"I do not think it would be appropriate for me to comment about the surrounding facts and circumstances at this time since we are prohibited from doing so for ethical reasons," Sarcone wrote in an email.

Pursley said Hochgraber was a transient worker who was arrested on his third OWI shortly after the Prairie Meadows incident.

He said Hochgraber had a gun permit from another state that is recognized as legal in Iowa. Pursley said he told Prairie Meadows workers Hochgraber was trying to get to the roof because he heard voices.

"I don't think he was targeting anything specific," Pursley said.

In a letter filed with the court, Hochgraber claimed to be the founder of "Templar One International" and a "counter-sexual terrorism volunteer." He also said he was a targeted individual "in a federal stalking case and not a drug case."

He also said he was not guilty and asked that his guns be returned.

"When we first encountered Hochgraber, he had made statements that he was in anti-human trafficking and a pro-supporter of women," Pursley said. "They were odd enough that we knew there was going to be issue."

Purlsey said he was not anti-gun "by any means," but he hoped authorities would strip Hochgraber of his permit to carry, given the new possession and DUI charge against him.

Lee Rood's Reader's Watchdog column helps Iowans get answers and accountability from public officials, the justice system, businesses and nonprofits. Contact her at lrood@dmreg.com, 515-284-8549 on Twitter @leerood or at Facebook.com/readerswatchdog.