North Dakota Man Charged with Gun Crime

North Dakota Man Charged with Gun Crime

A 40-year-old North Dakota man has been charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, according to a federal indictment.

Virgil Running Bear, Jr., of North Dakota, was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 15, 2013, for the crime, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. He also faces 3 years of supervised release, an additional 2 years of supervised release upon revocation, and a mandatory $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

The investigation into Running Bear’s alleged crime is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Edmunds County Sheriff’s Office, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich handling the case.

Running Bear, who was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal’s Service, has pleaded not guilty to the indictment, which is merely an accusation and not evidence of guilt. He is presumed innocent until proven otherwise in a court of law.

A trial date has not yet been set in the case, which has sparked concerns about gun crime in the region.

Running Bear’s arrest is the latest in a string of high-profile gun crimes in the area, highlighting the need for stricter gun control laws, according to some experts.

The investigation into Running Bear’s alleged crime continues, with authorities working to determine the full extent of his involvement in the offense.

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