On Saturday, Dec. 16 shortly before midnight, the Ottumwa Police Department responded to a Burglary in progress call. When police arrived it was determined that a suspect, later identified to be Joshua Michael Barnes, had damaged the victim’s vehicles parked at that address.

Barnes then represented himself to be a police officer and forcibly entered the residence with a weapon, with the intent to assault an occupant of the residence. Thirty-one year old Joshua Barnes, of Ottumwa, was located soon after this incident was reported and charged with the following crimes:

• Burglary in the 1 st Degree, a Class “B” Felony
• Impersonating a Public Official, an Aggravated Misdemeanor
• Criminal Mischief in the 3 rd Degree, an Aggravated Misdemeanor

Barnes is being held in the Wapello County Jail on a $29,000 Bond.

Please note the following pursuant to recent Supreme Court rulings: “A criminal charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.”