Waite Park Man Faces Multiple Charges Following Firearm Incident in Mankato

A Waite Park man is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly resisting arrest and being found in possession of a loaded firearm with a defaced serial number on June 7th in Mankato. According to a criminal complaint filed in Blue Earth County, 31-year-old Johovas Johnel Valau Overton is charged with felony possession of a firearm or ammunition by an ineligible person, possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number, and gross misdemeanor obstruction of the legal process involving force.

The charges stem from an incident on Saturday, June 7th, when Mankato Public Safety officers responded to a disturbance near a local business around 2 a.m. A man at the scene reported being threatened by an individual he believed was armed. Officers located Overton nearby. While initially cooperative, Overton allegedly resisted arrest, requiring multiple officers to subdue him. During the struggle, two officers sustained minor injuries.

A search of Overton revealed a loaded 9mm handgun with five hollow point rounds and an obliterated serial number. Officers also recovered over 42 grams of marijuana. Overton, who has a prior felony adjudication for robbery in Illinois, is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Overton now faces a minimum of 5 years in prison, and a maximum of up to 15 years in prison on the most serious charge.