One of the Wausau men allegedly involved in the October 2012 theft of more than 40 handguns from a Tomahawk area gun store has been charged in Lincoln County Circuit Court.
Charges were filed Dec. 13 against Matthew D. McLeod, 28, one of three men identified as suspects in the burglary of Statton’s General Store in the town of Bradley. Another suspect, Christian Peterson, 24, of Wausau, was killed in a shootout with Eau Claire Police a few days after the burglary. Found in his possession were three handgun from the Statton’s burglary and one stolen from Condition One in Wausau. A third suspect, Steven J. Srb, 36, of Wausau, who drove the getaway vehicle, is currently serving a prison sentence on drug and theft charges.
The suspect in an Oct. 13, 2013 murder in Weston had two handguns in his possession, one from Statton’s and one from the Condition One burglary.
In June 2013, investigators from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Wausau Police Department and ATF met with Srb, who confirmed that Peterson and McLeod were involved in the burglaries of Statton’s and Condition One. He told investigators that he had been smoking meth with Peterson and McLeod when they drove to Tomahawk in a stolen truck. They were all armed in case of a shootout, he said. In all, 46 guns were stolen from Statton’s, with the majority being handguns. Most of the stolen guns went to Minnesota, according to Srb.
McLeod was charged Dec. 13 in Lincoln County Circuit Court with being party to the crimes of theft and armed burglary. An initial appearance is set for Feb. 13, 2014. He also faces numerous Marathon County charges in connection with the Condition One burglary.