A Carroll man accused of possession of a firearm by a felon has been scheduled for trial near the end of March. According to Carroll County District Court records, 50-year-old William D. O’Connor filed his not guilty plea to the class D felony on Wednesday. The charge stems from an investigation by the Carroll Police Department into an incident in the 200 block of E. 10th Street on Sept. 10. At approximately 6:43 p.m. that evening, O’Connor accidently discharged a .40 caliber pistol into his leg resulting in non-life-threatening injuries. Authorities later determined he was prohibited from possessing a firearm in Iowa due to two prior felony convictions in Illinois. A pretrial conference is slated for Thursday, March 11 with jury proceedings scheduled to begin March. 23. If found guilty, he faces a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison and $7,500 in fines.
