Fort Madison man in custody in connection with arson, burglary in Hancock County

ADRIAN, Ill. — A Fort Madison, Iowa man has been taken into custody in connection with an arson and burglary in Hancock County.

The Hancock County Sheriff’s Department received a report of a structure fire at 6:26 a.m. April 4 in Adrian. Deputies with the department and the Dallas Rural Fire Protection District responded. Upon arrival, it was determined the structure was a complete loss.

While investigating the scene, deputies discovered a gun safe had been tampered with inside the structure before the fire. Deputies spoke with the landowner and learned more than 30 guns and several boxes of ammunition were missing.

Buck A. Bruner, 37, was identified as a suspect, and deputies obtained an arrest warrant for him. They worked with the Fort Madison Police Department to obtain a search warrant for Bruner’s residence.

Bruner was arrested within 72 hours of the incident. All firearms and ammunition from the arson/burglary were recovered. 

The Lee County (Iowa) Drug Task Force also has charged Bruner with:

• Manufacturing psilocybin mushrooms within 1,000 feet certain properties while in possession of a firearm, a Class C felony;
• Possession with intent to deliver psilocybin mushrooms within 1,000 feet of certain properties while in possession of a firearm, a Class C felony;
• Manufacturing marijuana within 1,000 feet of certain properties while in possession of a firearm, a Class D felony;
• Drug tax stamp violation (two counts), a Class D felony; 
• Maintaining a drug house, an aggravated misdemeanor;
• Possession of methamphetamine, a serious misdemeanor; and 
• Possession of drug paraphernalia, a simple misdemeanor.

Assisting in the investigation in Hancock County was the Burlington Northern/Sante Fe Police.