Lang
1/13/24
Leaving a pistol in an Iowa City rideshare vehicle has led to the arrest of a convicted felon.
Iowa City Police report a Lyft driver dropped a bag off at the police station that had been left in their vehicle by a passenger. The passenger had been dropped off at the Scott Court Casey’s Wednesday afternoon.
Police say as the bag was being logged into lost and found, a pistol was discovered inside. There was also information indicating the owner of the bag was 41-year-old Jeremy Pledge. Pledge was convicted of 2nd Degree Robbery, 2nd Degree Theft and Domestic Abuse Assault for separate incidents over the last 22 years in Linn County. He was also being investigated for another reported domestic assault at his East Washington Street apartment on January 5th.
Police located Pledge alone inside a garage near his residence just after 4:15 Wednesday afternoon. The garage reportedly smelled of burnt marijuana, and a baggie of marijuana was allegedly found near his cellphone.
An investigation determined the pistol belonged to the alleged victim in the domestic abuse investigation. The woman told police Pledge had no permission to take it.
Pledge is charged with Trafficking in Stolen Weapons, Dominion or Control of a Firearm as a Felon, Dominion or Control of a Firearm by a Domestic Abuser, Possession of a Controlled Substance – 2nd Offense, Domestic Abuse Assault – 3rd or Subsequent Offense, and 4th Degree Theft. The theft charge comes after Pledge allegedly borrowed his neighbor’s cellphone on Monday and never returned it.
If convicted on all charges, Pledge faces a maximum of 22 years in prison.