A 26-year-old Mason City man has pleaded guilty in federal court to possessing ammunition as a convicted felon.
Luke Braniff entered the guilty plea March 3rd in U.S. District Court in Sioux City to one count of felon in possession of ammunition.
According to court information, Braniff was previously convicted in Iowa of two counts of lascivious acts with a child in 2017, as well as sex offender registry violations in 2018, 2023 and 2025. Those convictions prohibit him from possessing firearms or ammunition.
During the plea hearing, Braniff admitted he possessed ammunition despite knowing he was prohibited from doing so due to those prior convictions.
Law enforcement became aware of the ammunition during an investigation into reports Braniff sent vulgar sexual messages on Snapchat to a minor female and requested nude images.
Braniff remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing. He faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and up to three years of supervised release.
The case was investigated by the Mason City Police Department.
Full press release below
