Washington Man Sentenced for Gun Charge

BISMARCK– U.S. Attorney Timothy Q. Purdon announced that on March 18, 2013, Victor L. Fields, 47, Pasco, Wash., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel L. Hovland on a charge of possession of firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of domestic violence. Fields pleaded guilty to the charge on Dec. 18, 2012.

Judge Hovland sentenced Fields to serve one year and nine months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Fields was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Crime Victim’s Fund.

On Sept. 15, 2011, Fields was involved in a fight with another male at the Knife River man camp near Williston, N.D. Fields possessed a loaded .357 pistol during the altercation. Fields was charged in Williams County Court with the misdemeanor crime of unlawfully carrying a loaded firearm. He was convicted and sentenced to serve 10 days in jail. Fields failed to report to serve his jail sentence and absconded to the state of Washington. He was arrested on the Federal warrant in September 2012 and returned to North Dakota to answer to the Federal charge.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Williams County Sheriff’s Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David Hagler prosecuted the case.