Following a two- day trial June 27-28 in Washington County District Court, Matthew James Meisheid, 41, of Kalona was found guilty by a jury of two counts of assault on Persons in Certain Occupations by Using or Displaying a Firearm. 

Following receipt of 30 pages of instructions (including several about direct and circumstantial evidence, reasonable and not reasonable doubt) from Judge Joshua P. Schrier, the five-woman, seven-man jury deliberated for approximately 30 minutes before returning with a required unanimous verdict.  Meisheid displayed no apparent emotion as the judge read aloud “guilty” for each count. 

The case resulted from a call to Washington County Communications July 9, 2022, that fireworks were being fired from the Meisheid residence in Kalona; county deputies Nolan Burke and Noah Schlabaugh responded to warn Meisheid of the city ordinance regarding fireworks.  In response, Meisheid removed a handgun and raised it in the air, causing alarm with the deputies.  In their incident report, the deputies said Meisheid appeared “aggressive, swearing and upset” with them.  At that point, they reported they felt threatened, feared for their lives and drove from the scene to seek a warrant for Meisheid’s arrest. 

Meisheid was later arrested and charged with the two counts of Assault on Persons in Certain Occupations by Using or Displaying a Firearm, each a Class D Felony.     

Following the execution of warrant at the residence July 12, 2022, Meisheid’s initial $10,000 bond was increased to $25,000 after law enforcement officers seized numerous firearms and a large quantity of ammunition at the residence; the items were seized by authorities in the interest of public safety.

Meisheid was released July 13 after posting the cash bail.  His Initial arraignment in Washington District Court was set for August 5 following the preliminary hearing July 22; however, the trial date was reset several times until starting June 27,2023.

Tuesday at the trial, under questioning by Assistant County Attorney Shane McChurch, who prosecuted the case, Lieutenant Chad Ellis of the Washington County Sheriff’s Department gave detailed testimony identifying the gun displayed to the officers. The weapon also was shown to the jury via the body camera video of the deputies’ July 9 encounter with Meisheid.   The video showed the defendant with a raised gun. Testimony also established finding the gun at Meisheid’s residence after execution of a search warrant, and that the gun was owned by him.

In response, defense attorney Andrew Stangl of Sigourney questioned the identification since there were two similar guns on an upper shelf in the house.   Ellis replied with a detailed description of them during his 80 minutes of questioning by both attorneys, noting there was no question about the gun or magazine clip.  Photos of both were shown to the jury on two large television screens in the courtroom.

Further identification of ownership of the black gun and customary location of it was given Wednesday in testimony from Meisheid’s wife.  The other witnesses for the prosecution were the two deputies who responded to the call July 9, essentially confirming what had been seen on the body camera video.

When the defendant took the stand as the last witness Wednesday, testimony was given that what had been shown to the police July 9 was not a gun, but a heat thermometer with a black front and a yellow pistol grip.  The jury also was shown the thermometer (an item used to detect heat/fire in walls) that had a case like a typical holster.  

In his summation at the trial’s conclusion, Attorney Stangl stressed that the thermometer raised reasonable doubt about a firearm being involved.    

In both his summation and rebuttal to the defense, Attorney McChurch stressed that at the time of the incident, the defendant was “angry, aggressive and armed with a firearm,” that he “had come out  [of the house] mad,” and that there was no reasonable doubt about his holding a gun, calling the issue about the thermometer “not doubt, but nonsense” that bordered on delusion.

After the verdict was read, two deputies placed Meisheid in handcuffs to take him to the county jail.   No date was set for sentencing, in which Meisheid could face up to five years in prison on each count.  Bail was continued to the time of sentencing.

The Washington County Sheriff’s office, Washington County Communications, and Washington County Attorney’s office investigated the case, leading to Meisheid’s arrest.   

After the trial adjourned, Attorney McChurch told The News, “This is a win for the people of Washington County and especially the citizens of Kalona.  Firearm violence has no place in our community and will continue to be aggressively prosecuted.  I commend the deputies who responded to the call for service for their outstanding professionalism in handling the defendant’s violent and dangerous actions.”