Jamestown, ND, Woman Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison for Firearms Trafficking and Felon in Possession of a Firearm

Fargo - United States Attorney Mac Schneider announced that on July 17, 2024, April Elizabeth Bergman, Jamestown, ND, appeared before Chief Judge Peter D. Welte, U.S. District Court, Fargo, ND, and was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison, followed by three years supervised released and a $100.00 special assessment for the offenses of <_w3a_sdt docpart="E685452EF8054E84A0EF30500C57F510" id="-913549091">firearm trafficking and felon in possession of a firearm.

This case began with the burglary and theft of 35 firearms from a Federal Firearms Licensed business in Jamestown, ND. Three of the firearms stolen in that burglary ended up in the possession of April Bergman when she engaged in trading methamphetamine for the firearms.

According to court documents and statements made in court, from on or about June 25, 2023 to July 9, 2023, Bergman received a Sig Sauer Model P365 9mm pistol, a Beretta Model PX4 Storm .40 caliber pistol, and a Smith and Wesson Model M&P 40 Shield .40 caliber pistol from another person in and otherwise affecting interstate and foreign commerce while knowing and having reasonable cause to believe that receipt of these firearms would constitute a felony in violation of a federal firearms trafficking statute, Title 18, United States Code, Sections 933(a)(2). Bergman pleaded guilty to firearms trafficking and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person in March of 2024.

"The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act gave our prosecutors valuable tools to confront firearms trafficking," Schneider said. "As this strong sentence shows, we will aggressively use those tools to keep firearms out of the hands of convicted felons and those who commit violent crimes. I am grateful for the dogged determination of our law enforcement partners not only for ensuring justice in this case, but also for making sure these firearms were removed from the illicit market."

"ATF treats burglaries of our federal firearms licensees with the utmost seriousness," says ATF Special Agent in Charge Travis Riddle, of the St. Paul Field Division. "It's integral that we move swiftly in these cases as the firearms obtained during FFL burglaries often and quickly fall into the hands of dangerous criminals who cannot legally purchase firearms on their own. I'm very proud of the special agent who worked this case, and very grateful for the work of our investigative partners, the Stutsman County Sheriff's Office, Jamestown Police Department and the U.S. Attorney's Office, leading to the successful conclusion of this case."

This case was investigated by the Fargo Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, Stutsman County Sheriff's Office and the Jamestown Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Richard Lee prosecuted the case.

This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted, and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.

Previous press release can be seen here.

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