JAMESTOWN, N.D. (Newsdakota.com) — As per court documents, Joseph Vijay Mills, a 36-year-old resident of Jamestown, is facing serious allegations of stealing around 35 firearms from a local business.

Mills has been indicted by a grand jury at the U.S. District Court in North Dakota on multiple felony charges, which include illegal possession of firearms, theft from a licensed dealer, and possession of stolen firearms. According to the court records, Mills had provided a Jamestown address when registering an abandoned vehicle found at the business.

He was apprehended in South Carolina on June 27 and promptly appeared in court to address the charges. However, as of now, no attorney has been assigned, and court hearings are pending until Mills is transferred back to North Dakota.

The investigation into the case was carried out by Special Agent Christine Gass from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. She has knowledge of approximately 35 stolen firearms that were taken from the business premises.

Despite having a previous felony conviction in 2023, Mills is accused of unlawful possession of firearms and knowingly transporting stolen firearms across state lines on June 16 or 17.

The Stutsman County Sheriff’s Office was informed of the incident on June 18, when they discovered multiple firearms missing from the business without any signs of forced entry.