FARGO - U.S. Attorney Timothy Q. Purdon announced that on Dec. 3, 2012, Nathaniel Michael Norris, a/k/a Nathaniel Michael Jaffe-Norris of Fargo, N.D., formerly of Bismarck, N.D., was sentenced before U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Erickson on a charge of felon in possession of a firearm.

Norris, 26, pleaded guilty on Aug. 28, 2012, to possessing a CN Romarm Model WASR-10, 7.62x39mm-caliber semi-automatic rife, serial No. 1-47593-03. Federal firearm statues prohibit possession of firearms by a convicted felon. According to the Indictment filed, Norris was previously convicted of the following felonies: felon in possession of a firearm, a Class C felony, on Mar. 29, 2005; aggravated assault and
terrorizing, both Class C felonies, on Jan. 3, 2007, also in Burleigh County District Court, North Dakota.

In March of 2012, Norris obtained the above-described Romarm semi-automatic rifle, along with ammunition, large capacity magazines, and ammunition can(s) from a former girlfriend at her Fargo, N.D. apartment. Norris then transported and stored the Romarm firearm, ammunition, large-capacity magazines and ammunition can(s) to a Fargo apartment that he shared with his current girlfriend.

In April of 2012, Norris was arrested in Detroit Lakes, Minn. on an unrelated matter and was incarcerated in the St. Louis County Jail in Duluth, Minn. on State of Minnesota charges that were later dismissed.

Pursuant to a search warrant obtained and executed on April 11, 2012, by the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation and other local law enforcement who were assisting the Duluth Police officers, the Romarm semi-automatic rifle and equipment were recovered by Duluth, Minn. police officers at a Fargo, N.D. apartment.

Judge Erickson sentenced Norris to four and one-half years’ imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release. Norris was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Crime Victim's Fund.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Duluth Police Department and the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott J. Schneider prosecuted the case.

 

 

 

 

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