A former Monmouth police officer faces a felony charge after police said he bought a shotgun for a family member who is prohibited from owning one.

Clint Childs, 25, of East Winthrop turned himself in to Winthrop police Tuesday on a warrant charging him with aggravated forgery. He was released on a $5,000 unsecured bond.

According to an affidavit filed in Kennebec County Superior Court by Winthrop police Detective Peter Struck, police and game wardens searched the Winthrop home of Childs’ father, Maurice Childs, on Nov. 15, 2010, and found a 12-gauge shotgun in Maurice Childs’ room. Maurice Childs is a convicted felon prohibited from owning firearms, Struck wrote.

The search turned up a receipt from Audette’s Hardware Store indicating Clint Childs bought the shotgun at the Winthrop store Oct. 15, Struck said.

“Clint said (the gun) was supposed to have been for him, but his father is the one who used it,” Struck wrote.

When filling out the federal form required to purchase the shotgun, Clint Childs checked a box indicating he was purchasing the weapon for himself, Struck wrote.

“I believe that Clint lied on the ATF form 4473 when he answered … yes,” Struck wrote. “I believe Clint was purchasing the firearm for his father, Maurice Childs, who Clint knows could not purchase or possess firearms because Maurice is a convicted felon.”