Three Appleton Men Indicted for Firearms Violations

Acting United States Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad of the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Cory M. Yant (age: 35), Zachary C. Sternhagen (age: 31), and Kong P. Vang (age: 21) charging each of them with being felons in possession of a firearm in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g). Additionally, Yant and Sternhagen are alleged to be “Armed Career Criminals” based on three prior violent felony convictions each.

Defendants Yant and Sternhagen face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years incarceration and up to a life sentence, a fine of $250,000, and a three year term of supervised release. Vang faces up to 10 years imprisonment, with the same fine and term of supervised release. 

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Winnebago County Sherriff and District Attorney’s Office, the Outagamie Sheriff and District Attorney’s Office, the Lake Winnebago MEG Unit, Wisconsin Department of Justice - Division of Criminal Investigation, the Appleton Police Department, and the Wausau Police Department.  The case will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove each of them guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.    

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