Where did the guns go?
In its investigative report, the Idaho Attorney General's Office identified 18 guns stolen by former Idaho Falls prosecutor Kimball Mason. Here is a list of the weapons. The check marks indicate the weapons that have been recovered: Weapon: Intratec 9mm semi-automatic pistol, Serial No. A030934 Who had it: Fausto Urias, who pleaded guilty in 2003 for discharging a firearm in city limits and was barred from owning a gun for two years. Who got it: Kimball Mason traded it to Ski's House of Guns in Idaho Falls. Weapon: Hi-Point semi-automatic pistol, Serial No. P135952 Who had it: Shane Nichelson, who was arrested in 2003 for carrying a concealed weapon and under the influence of a controlled substance in public. A warrant was signed by Judge William Hollerich after he failed to appear in court. Hollerich ordered the seized gun be forfeited at the same time. Who got it: Mason traded it to Ski's Weapon: Glock .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol, Serial No. DTW308WS Who had it: Mark Moorefield, who was arrested in 2003 for carrying a concealed weapon and later failed to appear for his pre-trial conference. Judge Mark Riddoch issued a warrant and ordered the gun be forfeited. Who got it: Mason traded the Glock and two others to Ski's. Weapons: Winchester .223-caliber rifle, Serial No. G2092511; .357 Smith and Wesson revolver, Serial No. AAH0409 Who had it: Layne Fluckiger, who was arrested in 2003 for DUI, carrying concealed weapons and driving without privileges. In a plea deal with Mason, he agreed to forfeit the guns and plead guilty only to reckless driving. Mason later obtained a court order signed by Riddoch to take possession of the guns. The order did not have a case number. Who got them: Mason traded the guns to Ski's for a Cobra .38 Derringer, which was turned over to the Idaho Falls Police Department. Weapon: Ruger 9mm semi-automatic pistol, Serial No. 314-37731 Who had it: Chad Claxton, who was arrested in 2004 for carrying a concealed weapon and possession of drug paraphernalia. Hollerich dismissed the charges on July 16, 2004. On June 17, 2004, Claxton's attorney and Mason had signed a document forfeiting the Ruger to the city prosecutor's office. That same day, Judge Jerry Meyers signed an order releasing Claxton's 9mm magazine and ammunition and knife to Mason's office. Who got it: Mason traded this gun and the two listed above for a Cobra .38 Derringer, which was turned over to the Idaho Falls Police Department. Weapon: Ruger .357-caliber revolver, Serial No. 572-97242 Who had it: Dache Hunter, who was cited in 2005 for disturbing the peace and discharging a firearm in city limits. Idaho Falls police seized the gun and held it for safe keeping at the request of Hunter's mother, who said it was hers. The charges against Hunter were dismissed and the gun was ordered forfeited by Judge Keith Walker. Who got it: Mason traded it to Ski's for another .38 caliber Cobra Derringer, which was later turned in to the Idaho Falls Police Department. Weapon: Ruger .357-caliber revolver, Serial No. 174-77395 Who had it: Gregory Saiz, who was arrested in 2004 for aggravated assault, kidnapping, rape and deadly weapon enhancement, all of which were felonies and handled by the Bonneville County Prosecutor's Office. The gun and a military sheath knife were seized. Mason had no role in the case and no orders to seize the weapons were signed by judges. Mason signed an order himself and presented it to IFPD evidence custodian. Who got it: Mason traded the gun to Ski's for a .32 Cobra Derringer, which was turned over to Idaho Falls police. Weapons: Llama Parabellum 9mm semi-automatic, Serial #0974195; Ruger .22 caliber rifle with Bushnell scope Who had them: Jimmie Caudle, who was arrested in 2002 for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon enhancement and charged with several misdemeanors, which Mason handled. In 2003, Judge Keith Walker ordered Caudle's gun be forfeited to Mason's office even though the county prosecutor was handling the felonies. Judge Earl Blower signed an order later that year stating the weapons be returned to Caudle. Who got them: Mason traded the Llama Parabellum to someone whose name is redacted in court documents. That person returned the gun. Mason kept the Ruger and returned it to Idaho Falls police this year. Weapon: Zastava 7.62X39 rifle, Serial No. 373866 Who had it: Bobby Barnes, who was arrested in 2004 for trespassing at his girlfriend's house. Barnes told police he had a rifle in his truck and wanted to kill himself, so the gun was held for safekeeping. Judge Keith Walker signed an order for the gun to be forfeited. That same order also reflected that the State was dismissing the charge against Barnes. Who got it: Mason turned the gun over to investigators this year. Weapon: Berretta .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol, Serial No. BER239756 Who had it: Shane Egbert, who was arrested in 2003 for misdemeanor possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, carrying a concealed weapon and felon in possession of a firearm. Mason and Egbert's attorney negotiated a plea deal where all the charges would be dismissed in exchange for the gun being forfeited. An order signed by Judge Keith Walker was given to the IFPD's evidence custodian and the Beretta was turned over to Mason. Who got it: Former Idaho Falls Police Department employee Todd Ericsson bought it for $200. It has not been turned in. Weapon: Glock Model 19 9mm semi-automatic, Serial No. EPE198, and a box of ammunition Who had it: Tyler Nichols, who was arrested in 2003 for driving without a valid driver's license and carrying a concealed weapon. A passenger in Nichols' vehicle said the truck, gun and ammo were his. Charges against Nichols were later dropped, but a magistrate judge had signed an order that the gun and ammo be forfeited. The order contained language indicating that Nichols consented to giving up the Glock, which he later denied when interviewed by investigators. Who got it: Mason approached John Stosich, an Idaho Falls attorney, about purchasing it from the Idaho Falls Police Department. Stosich told investigators that Mason left the Glock with him, but never asked for money to seal the deal. Stosich turned the gun over to investigators in December 2005. Weapon: Hi-Point .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol, Serial No. P800546 Who had it: Jeremy Hoyle, who was arrested in 2005 for aggravated assault, carrying a concealed weapon, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting arrest. Three charges were dismissed and Hoyle pleaded guilty to a felony. Judge Keith Walker signed an order stating the Hoyle's gun be forfeited. Who got it: Mason gave the gun to Bonneville County Deputy Prosecutor Darren Robins, who occasionally covered his court cases for him when he was gone. Robins told investigators Mason slipped a brown bag into one of his file folders while he was talking to a judge. Robins said when he returned to his office he opened the bag and found a gun, which he later gave to his neighbor. Robins returned the gun to investigators in December 2005. Weapon: Raven .25-caliber semi-automatic handgun, Serial No. 3125910 Who had it: Paul Clark, who was arrested in 2003 on two outstanding warrants and was cited for possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and for carrying a concealed weapon. The charges against Clark were dismissed. On Sept. 4, 2003, Judge Keith Walker signed order that Clark forfeit the gun. Six days later, Mason got the gun from the IFPD evidence room. Who got it: Mason gave it to Bonneville County Deputy Prosecutor Daniel Clark for a "desk gun." Clark told investigators he did not ask Mason where he got it or about its history. Clark turned it over to investigators in December 2005. Weapon: Raven .25-caliber handgun, serial number obliterated Who had it: Christopher Hudson, who was arrested in 2003 for two outstanding warrants and several charges including possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, carrying a concealed weapon and possession of methamphetamine. An order signed by Judge Robert Brower reflects that Hudson would plead guilty to the felony of possessing marijuana with intent to deliver and forfeit his gun in exchange for the remaining charges being dismissed. Who got it: Mason gave the gun to Jose Moreno, a Bonneville County adult probation officer. Moreno told investigators he could not recall if Mason told him it was a forfeited gun and that he didn't realize the serial number had been filed off. Moreno returned it to investigators in December 2005. Weapon: Lorcin 9mm semi-automatic pistol, Serial No. L106745 Who had it: Carl Crazythunder, who was arrested in 2001 for inattentive driving and for carrying a concealed weapon. The concealed weapon count was dismissed, but Crazythunder pleaded guilty to inattentive driving. The court file did not contain an order to forfeit the gun and investigators could not find any documentation authorizing the gun's release to Mason. Who got it: Mason gave the gun to Idaho Falls attorney Kelly Mallard after the two talked about Mallard's National Guard tour in Iraq, where he carried a 9mm. Mallard told Mason he no longer had one and Mason pulled the Lorcin out of his desk and apparently asked "Well do you want one?" Mallard told investigators he assumed it was a forfeited weapon. He gave it to investigators in December 2005. Weapon: Ruger .44-caliber Super Black Hawk revolver, Serial #8396406 Who had it: Frank Sparkman, who stored it in a post office box in Idaho Falls. Sparkman was interviewed by police at the post office and was according to reports, displaying delusional behavior. The gun and a box of ammunition were taken as evidence. IFPD records indicated that they were released to Mason. Who got it: Mason gave it to Stephen Blaser, a Blackfoot lawyer who represented Sparkman. Blaser turned it over to investigators in January.
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