Aniak Man Indicted on Federal Gun Charges

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Alfred Morgan, 35, of Aniak, has been indicted for Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

According to court documents, on September 6, 2020, Alaska State Troopers (AST) responded to a domestic violence report at a residence in Aniak. During the interaction, Troopers contacted a male at the residence, who brandished a knife at the responding Trooper. Morgan then allegedly approached the Trooper, positioned himself between the male and the Trooper, then raised the barrel of a Ruger Mini 14 rifle at the Trooper. The Trooper gave commands to drop the rifle, which the defendant did, only to retrieve the rifle again when a second Trooper arrived on scene. Troopers were able to secure Morgan and the rifle, then began to apprehend the other male on scene. While Troopers were apprehending the other male, Morgan fled the scene in handcuffs. He was apprehended and transported to the Aniak jail. Morgan has 2 prior felony convictions and is prohibited from possessing firearms.              

If convicted on the federal charges, Morgan faces a maximum of 10 years in prison.  Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Alaska State Troopers (AST) conducted the investigation leading to the charges in this case.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Doty.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please visit  https://www.justice.gov/ag/about-project-guardian

Additionally, this case is part of the Rural Alaska Anti-Violence Enforcement Network (RAAVEN), the U.S. Attorney’s Office is increasing engagement, coordination, and action on public safety in Alaska Native communities.

The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.