Prosecutors say Iowa police chief lied to buy machine guns

A small-town Iowa police chief has been indicted on federal costs that he abused his place to buy greater than two dozen machine weapons.

Adair Police Chief Brad Wendt, 46, and Robert Williams, 46, had been each charged with making false statements to the ATF about whether or not the police division needed to purchase the machine weapons. Adair, a city of fewer than 800 folks, is situated 55 miles west of Des Moines.

“Brad Wendt is charged with exploiting his place as chief of police to unlawfully get hold of and promote weapons for his personal private revenue,” FBI Omaha Particular Agent in Cost Eugene Kowel mentioned in a press release Thursday.

Courtroom paperwork say Wendt purchased 10 machine weapons for the police division and later bought a number of of them at a revenue.

Prosecutors say he additionally acquired 13 different machine weapons for his gun retailer by falsely stating to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives that the police division needed an indication of every of them. Wendt additionally allegedly helped Williams purchase 10 machine weapons for his enterprise that holds a federal firearms license by making related statements.

The 2 males are additionally accused of holding public machine gun taking pictures occasions the place folks paid for the prospect to shoot one of many totally computerized weapons.

Prosecutors mentioned they consider Wendt and Williams had been attempting to stockpile the weapons to promote later. They are saying that altogether Wendt tried to buy or display 90 machine weapons for the Adair Police Division since 2018.

Wendt’s lawyer did not instantly reply to a message Thursday.

Williams’ lawyer, Dean Stowers, mentioned in a press release “It’s unlucky that the federal government introduced these costs towards Mr. Williams with out sitting right down to candidly assessment all of the circumstances and the legislation.”

Stowers mentioned the ATF permitted all of Williams’ gun purchases primarily based on Wendt’s letters, and he hadn’t resold any of them.

Adair Metropolis Legal professional Clint Fichter mentioned Wendt stays the police chief at this level as a result of the town had no advance discover of the fees earlier than they had been introduced Thursday.

Wendt might resist 10 years in jail if he’s convicted whereas Williams faces as much as 5 years in jail.

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