A St. Louis convicted felon is facing new charges after he was reported trespassing at a Wright City home, could not explain why he was there, and was subsequently found in possession of two guns and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, according to police.
John C.P. Cato was charged Wednesday, Aug. 19, with two felony counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, as well as second-degree trespassing, an infraction.
Police were dispatched to a residence in the 100 block of Chelsea Court in Wright City shortly after 2 a.m. that morning. Upon arrival, they found Cato, “who was holding an exterior lamp and a lawn decoration,” according to a probable cause statement.
Cato confirmed that he did not live at the house and “could offer no explanation as to his presence,” the statement notes, other than saying he “felt like he was supposed to be here.”
Cato provided police with a Missouri non-driver ID and his operator status was found to be denied. He told police this was because he had served time in prison. When asked if there was anything illegal in the vehicle he arrived in, Cato allegedly said there “probably” was, but denied consent to search the vehicle.
Police could observe a handgun in plain view inside the vehicle, however, wedged between the driver seat and center console, according to the statement. They obtained Cato’s criminal history and confirmed he was a convicted felon who had served prison time in multiple states and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms.
A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed that the handgun was loaded, with a live round in the chamber, as well as an additional loaded AR-style rifle with a live round in the chamber, and 427 rounds of ammunition of various calibers.
The probable cause statement notes that Cato’s past convictions include one from 2018 for unlawful possession of a firearm.
Cato, born in 1988, is being held at the Warren County Jail with his bond set at $50,000 cash only.
