Semaj Maurice Dow Jr., 21, of Austin was sentenced on Friday in Mower County District Court to 60 months in the Minnesota Correctional Facility in St. Cloud for felony violent felon in possession of a firearm. He received concurrent sentences of 60 months in prison for a charge of violent felon in possession of firearm ammunition, 21 months in prison for felony fifth-degree drug possession and 15 months in prison for felony possession of a firearm with a serial number that has been removed, altered, changed or obliterated.

He was also sentenced to 212 days in jail for gross misdemeanor user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm, but received credit for 212 days already served.

A charge of petty misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia was dismissed.

Judge Kevin Siefken issued the sentencing.

Dow was arrested on Jan. 17 by two agents from the Department of Corrections and Austin police officers at the Sterling Motel.

The court complaint states officers found two methamphetamine pipes in the bathroom, an Intratec nine-millimeter pistol wrapped in a towel, and three rounds of nine-millimeter ammunition in a desk drawer in the motel room. The pistol showed signs that someone had removed the serial number.

The complaint states that while Dow was being transported to jail, he told the officer the pistol “don’t even shoot,” that it did not have the “trigger mechanism in it,” and, “It ain’t even put together, so it can’t be a deadly weapon.”

After Dow was brought to jail, the arresting officer found a bag containing ½ gram of methamphetamine on the floor in the back of the squad car, the complaint states. He reviewed the squad car surveillance footage, which showed Dow removing the bag from his waistband or underwear and throwing it on the floor.

Police also arrested Nena Marie Hardy, 21, of Austin at the Sterling Motel along with Dow. She received five criminal charges; however, all were dismissed, except a charge of petty misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia to which she pleaded guilty.

A review of Dow’s criminal history shows prior convictions for drug charges as well as assault, theft and fleeing a peace officer.