Frederick J. Zirkelbach, Illegally Possessing Firearms, Illinois 2013

A Gallatin County man is facing up to 10 years in prison after being charged with illegally possessing firearms.

Frederick J. Zirkelbach, 48, of Ridgeway, Illinois, was arraigned on April 2nd in United States District Court in Benton on an indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The indictment alleged that Zirkelbach was found to be in possession of 14 firearms on March 9, 2013. Prior to that date, Zirkelbach had been convicted of two felony offenses, making it illegal under federal law for him to possess firearms or ammunition.

An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.

If convicted, Zirkelbach faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release to follow his incarceration. The firearms he illegally possessed are also subject to forfeiture to the United States.

Zirkelbach was ordered held without bond and was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal to await further proceedings. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James M. Cutchin.

The case was investigated by the Carmi office of the Southern Illinois Drug Task Force and the Illinois State Police with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and the Gallatin County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Mandatory Facts:

• Defendant: Frederick J. Zirkelbach
• Criminal Charges: Being a felon in possession of a firearm
• City and State: Ridgeway, Illinois
• Exact Date: March 9, 2013
• Sentence or Outcome: Up to 10 years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine, currently held without bond
• Dollar Amounts: $250,000 fine

MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS

Weapons

Ashley F. Gerbig, Selling Firearm to a Prohibited Person, Nebraska 2014

Jan 29, 2015

Weapons

Trey Joseph Frederick, Whooping Crane Killings, Texas 2016

Oct 25, 2016

Weapons

Damjan Stanivukovic, Unlawful Possession of a Destructive Device, New York 2024

Apr 9, 2026

Weapons

Si Chen, Conspiracy to Violate IEEPA, California 2017

Oct 1, 2018