Convicted felon charged with pawning stolen AR-7, ammunition

A convicted felon who pawned a stolen AR-7 rifle and 600 rounds of ammunition has been arrested, Sarasota Police officials reported Friday.

Joseph Stout III, 39, of Sarasota, has been arrested and charged with defrauding a pawnbroker, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. He is being held on bonds totaling $125,000.

On Wednesday, a Sarasota resident had reported to police that someone had broken into his home in the 2100 block of 6th Street in Sarasota sometime between noon and 4 p.m. and stolen an AR-7, about 700 rounds of .22 LR caliber ammunition inside a backpack, a trackphone, a BB gun, the title to a scooter, a debit card and cigarettes, according to reports.

The burglar had entered through an unlocked sliding glass door. The victim had discovered someone had been in his home as soon as he arrived and saw the front door was slightly open with the dead bolt locked, preventing the door from closing.

Detectives with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office discovered on Thursday that Stout had sold 600 rounds of ammunition and a AR7, new in the box, to a local pawn shop.

The serial number of the rifle pawned reportedly matches that of the AR-7 reported stolen Wednesday. The ammunition pawned — .22 LR caliber — is also believed to be the ammunition that was stolen from the victim’s home.

A records check confirmed that Stout’s right to possess firearms and/or ammunition has never been restored, according to police.

Stout’s convictions include charges of DUI, causing serious bodily injury and a felony count of driving with a revoked or suspended driver’s license.

Because of the stolen AR-7, an AK-47 assault rifle stolen in a separate residential burglary Wednesday and the current national threat to police officers, a community conversation supposed to be held Wednesday was canceled after Sarasota Police Chief Bernadette DiPino spoke with organizers and decided it would be best for the safety of the community and police officers to reschedule it. The event will now be held at 6:30-8:30 p.m. July 25 from at the Robert L. Taylor Community Complex, 1845 34th St., Sarasota.

This story was originally published July 15, 2016 at 11:14 AM with the headline "Convicted felon charged with pawning stolen AR-7, ammunition."