Walter Currie Jr. in federal custody after indictment

CAPE GIRARDEAU — A Poplar Bluff man is in federal custody after his recent indictment for the illegal possession of a firearm.

Walter Lee Currie Jr., 26, was indicted on a single count of felon in possession of a firearm, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Hunter.

The indictment handed down by a federal grand jury against Currie was filed with the U.S. District Court on March 3.

The next day, Currie was picked up from the Butler County jail, where he had been held since his Jan. 20 arrest, by federal authorities and transported to Cape Girardeau.

On March 6, Hunter said, Currie made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Abbie Crites-Leoni.

“He’s waived his detention hearing and the formal reading of the indictment,” Hunter said.

The indictment alleges on Jan. 20, Currie “did knowingly possess in and affecting interstate commerce, a firearm, knowing that he had been previously convicted in any court of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year …”

The firearm, according to earlier newspaper reports, was found by authorities after Currie allegedly led officers on a lengthy pursuit on Jan. 20.

Authorities had been searching for Currie, who was wanted at the time for an earlier shooting at the Motel 6.

When Poplar Bluff officers tried to stop Currie, he allegedly failed to stop and threw a backpack out of a vehicle window. The backpack later was found to contain ammunition.

During the pursuit, Currie reportedly lost control of his vehicle, which collided with a Butler County Sheriff’s Department patrol car.

Currie, police Lt. Joe Ward earlier said, lost control of his vehicle a second time near Wheatley School, but continued to drive until the area of Harper Street and Roxie Drive.

Currie then allegedly bailed out of his vehicle and fled on foot. He subsequently was found inside a Bradley Street residence and arrested.

Officers reportedly found a 7.62-caliber rifle on the back floorboards of Currie’s vehicle.

At the time of Currie’s arrest, he was a convicted felon.

His previous convictions include the Class D felony of unlawful possession of a firearm in December and the Class B felony of sale of a controlled substance in June 2016, both in Butler County. He also has convictions for the Class C felonies of second-degree burglary and stealing.

If convicted, Hunter said, Currie faces up to 10 years in federal prison.

At this time, Hunter said, no date has been set for Currie to reappear in federal court.

Currie was supposed to have appeared at 1 p.m. Thursday before Associate Circuit Judge C. Wade Pierce for a preliminary hearing in Butler County, but his case was continued due to him being in federal custody.

Currie is charged in Butler County with the Class B felonies of first-degree assault and second-degree assault, the unclassified felony of armed criminal action, two Class B felonies of unlawful use of a weapon, two Class D felonies of unlawful possession of firearm and the Class E felonies of first-degree property damage and resisting arrest.

His charges in Butler County stem from the Jan. 20 incident, as well as a Jan. 16 shooting at the Motel 6.

Currie is accused of firing eight shots with a high-powered rifle at the victim’s car on the Motel 6 parking lot.

Three of the rounds hit the victim’s vehicle. Another reportedly traveled about 1,000 yards and crossed eight lanes of traffic, as well as the parking lots of at least two other businesses before hitting the camper at the Camelot RV Park.