A federal grand jury this week indicted a man accused of shooting himself in the Cole County Jail last year.
Brandon McNeese, 35, is charged with unlawufl transport of firearms, according to federal court documents.
While the indictment does not say anything about the shooting incident, the date of when the crime occurred - Nov. 25, 2019 - matches the date when authorities said the shooting took place.
McNeese allegedly shot himself at the jail in Jefferson City, after which he was taken to a local hospital for treatment and brought back to the jail the same day.
The indictment shows the weapon McNeese was in possession of was a .22-caliber pistol.
If McNeese is convicted, he could face up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine, according to federal authorities.
Cole County Sheriff John Wheeler said Friday that how McNeese got a gun into the jail is still being investigated. A joint investigation with the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, U.S. Marshals Service, Missouri Highway Patrol and Cole County Sheriff's Department was launched after the shooting.
McNeese is no longer being held in the Cole County Jail, but in another facility in Missouri that houses federal prisoners, Wheeler said. Online court documents show he is in federal custody.
In October 2018, McNeese was indicted by a federal grand jury on drug distribution and illegal firearm charges in Jefferson City. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone convicted of a felony to possess any firearm or ammunition. McNeese has a prior federal felony conviction for possessing crack cocaine with intent to distribute. The 2018 case is scheduled to go to trial in September.
This article was edited at 5:45 p.m. June 26, 2020, to correct information regarding the charge against Brandon McNeese.