COEUR D'ALENE – Anthony V. Bird, 30, of the Spokane valley, pleaded guilty yesterday in United States District Court in Coeur d'Alene to unlawfully possessing a firearm, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced.

Bird admitted in open court yesterday that on January 12, 2012, he sold a .45 caliber Glock pistol to another person. Bird was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to his 1999 conviction for first degree robbery in Spokane, Washington, a felony offense punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year. The government is seeking forfeiture of the firearm.

The charge is punishable by up to ten years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and up to three years supervised release.

Sentencing is set for September 5, 2012, before U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the federal courthouse in Coeur d'Alene.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the North Idaho Violent Crime Task Force (NIVCTF). NIVCTF members include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Idaho State Police, Kootenai County Sheriff's Office, Shoshone County Sheriff's Office, Bonner County Sheriff's Office, Coeur d'Alene Police Department, Post Falls Police Department, and the Coeur d'Alene Tribal Police Department. The NIVCTF investigates a myriad of violent crimes, including armed robbery, kidnapping, felonious assault and drug trafficking.

The case was prosecuted as part of Idaho’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Program, which seeks to reduce gun violence in Idaho.