United States Attorney Joseph S. Van Bokkelen

Northern District of Indiana

204 South Main Street, Room M01

South Bend, IN 46601

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                             CONTACT: Donald Schmid

April 20, 2006                                                               PHONE: (574) 236-8287

Fax: (574) 236-8155

GUN DEALER PLEADS GUILTY

The United States Attorney's Office announced today that KENNETH D. FLETCHER, age 56, plead guilty to a one-count Information charging him with making false, fraudulent, and fictitious statements regarding multiple firearms transactions. Fletcher owned and operated Newman’s Gun Shop in Osceola, Indiana.

As a firearms dealer, Fletcher was required to keep accurate records of firearms transactions pursuant to Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) regulations. Fletcher falsified ATF forms to the effect that he was selling and disposing of more than 80 firearms to another individual when in fact he was not.

Fletcher directed this other individual to complete ATF Form 4473s and sign the forms as if this other individual was the purchaser of multiple firearms when in fact only one firearm was being purchased by this individual. The firearms listed on the Form 4473s submitted by Fletcher to the ATF were all intended not to be actually sold or transferred, but were to remain under Fletcher’s custody and control. The false statements on the ATF Form 4473s were material to the ATF’s ongoing supervision of multiple firearm transactions. These false statements were also material to the ATF’s ongoing supervision of Fletcher’s agreement, in the Fall of 2005, to abandon and give up his federal firearms license following an investigation by the ATF into his allowing the straw purchase of firearms at his gun store

United States Attorney Joseph S. Van Bokkelen stated, "The Special Agents of ATF are to be commended for their handling of this matter. It is important that the firearms laws of this country be followed and this office will continue its vigorous enforcement of those laws."

"In exchange for being licensed to sell firearms the defendant had an absolute obligation to accurately and truthfully complete federal firearms transaction records for his sale of firearms. Law enforcement officers from around the country rely on the accuracy of those records during their criminal investigations and the defendant violated that trust. This can not be tolerated." said Chris Sadowski, Special Agent in Charge of ATF.

Fletcher will be sentenced on June 29, 2006 at 1:30 PM in South Bend before Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr.

This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald J. Schmid, who can be reached at 574-236-8287 for any inquiries. 

The specific sentence in each case to be imposed upon conviction will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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