A Springfield, Mo., man faces charges in federal court for illegally possessing a firearm.
Timothy Zegar, 39, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Springfield on Tuesday, Jan. 31, with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Zegar, who was arrested on Wednesday, remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Feb. 6, 2023.
The complaint alleges that Zegar was in possession of a Spike’s Tactical .556-caliber rifle between Jan. 18 and 21, 2023.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Zegar has a prior felony conviction for fleeing and eluding law enforcement.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, the FBI began investigating Zegar for illegally trafficking firearms in August 2022. An undercover special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives contacted Zegar about purchasing a firearm on Jan. 18, 2023. The undercover agent met Zegar at his residence and purchased the Spike’s Tactical rifle from Zegar on Jan. 21, 2023.
The charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, and the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.