Moorhead Felon Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Loaded Firearm in his Home

(St. Paul, MN) -- A Moorhead man pleaded guilty Thursday to illegally possessing a firearm in his residence after a minor was shot and killed with his gun.

According to court documents, on March 2nd, 34-year-old Phillip Neal Jones, Jr. possessed a Walther .40 caliber pistol in his Moorhead residence. While Jones was away from the residence, a visiting child found the loaded gun under a large snack chip box in the kitchen. The gun went off, hitting and killing a second child.

Jones has multiple prior felony convictions in Hennepin and Anoka Counties and therefore is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.