Lawrence man faces federal prosecution for stolen handgun

A 29-year-old Lawrence man is facing a federal gun charge after being arrested with a stolen handgun early Sunday morning.

Michael James Edwards was arrested during a traffic stop in the 1700 block of Kentucky Street about 12:30 a.m. Sunday by a Lawrence police officer who knew him to have a suspended license, said Sgt. Trent McKinley, a Lawrence Police Department spokesman. After seeing suspected marijuana in the vehicle and performing a search, the officer reportedly found more bags of marijuana, drug paraphernalia, a loaded gun and $1,500 in cash.

The gun, a loaded Ruger semi-automatic 9 millimeter, had been reported stolen, and Edwards, a convicted felon, could not legally possess a firearm. Edwards had been convicted of aggravated battery in Douglas County in 2007.

The case was turned over to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, which charged Edwards with one count of criminal possession of a firearm, according to a criminal complaint filed Tuesday. If convicted, Edwards could face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.