April Bergman, Firearms Trafficking, North Dakota 2023

MINOT, ND – April Bergman, a resident of Minot, North Dakota, has confessed to federal firearms trafficking and unlawful possession of firearms, a crime that could land her behind bars for up to 15 years. The guilty plea, entered today in Fargo, marks a significant development in a case investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Stutsman County Sheriff’s Office.

Court documents reveal that between June 25, 2023, and July 9, 2023, Bergman knowingly accepted three handguns – 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 – fully aware she was prohibited from possessing them. The firearms had traveled across state lines, placing the transactions squarely under federal jurisdiction and violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 933(a)(2).

Adding to the severity of the charges, Bergman also pleaded guilty to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). As a convicted felon, she was legally barred from owning or controlling any firearm. The details of her prior conviction were not immediately released.

U.S. Attorney Mac Schneider, speaking on the case, emphasized the office’s dedication to prosecuting firearms trafficking. “The United States Attorney’s Office is committed using the tools Congress has provided to prosecute firearms trafficking,” Schneider stated. “Aggressive prosecutions under these statutes will help keep firearms out of the hands of convicted felons and those who seek to use firearms to commit violent crime.”

This case is being prosecuted under the recently enacted provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, signed into law in June 2022. This legislation represents the first federal statute specifically designed to combat the illicit trafficking and straw purchasing of firearms, giving law enforcement new tools to disrupt the flow of weapons to criminals. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Lee is leading the prosecution for the District of North Dakota.

Bergman is scheduled to be sentenced on July 1st. She faces a maximum of 15 years in federal prison for both the firearms trafficking charge and the charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm, as well as a period of supervised release following her incarceration. The ATF and local law enforcement continue to investigate potential co-conspirators and the source of the illegally trafficked firearms.

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