Bellevue Man Sentenced to 48 months in Prison for Possessing Unregistered Silencers and Short-barreled Rifles

United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Robert D. Roggentine, Jr., age 63, of Bellevue, Nebraska, was sentenced on February 5, 2025 in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, after having pled guilty to two counts of possession of unregistered firearms pertaining to his possession of multiple unregistered firearm silencers and short-barreled rifles. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Roggentine to 48 months’ imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system. After Roggentine’s release, he will begin a 2-year term of supervised release.  As part of this prosecution, Roggentine forfeited 10 firearm silencers, four short-barreled rifles, and silencer components.

On March 14, 2024, Bellevue Police Officers responded to a 911 call to Roggentine’s home near 15th and Franklin Streets in Bellevue. Roggentine called 911 because he was hallucinating and had discharged a handgun in his home. Officers observed him to be under the influence. Officers saw several firearms throughout the home and a user quantity of methamphetamine. They arrested him.

Officers searched the residence and seized multiple firearms, methamphetamine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia. They observed firearm components, silencers, silencer components, an instruction manual regarding building silencers, multiple firearm magazines, and large amount of ammunition.

On March 30, 2024, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (“ATF”) agents served a search warrant on Roggentine’s home and seized more drug paraphernalia, multiple firearms, firearms parts and accessories, ammunition, tools used in the manufacture of firearm silencers, and nine firearm silencers that were not registered in the National Registration and Transfer Record (“NFRTR”). Many of the firearm silencers showed signs of self-manufacture. Roggentine admitted to habitually smoking methamphetamine and marijuana, and ingesting “chemical” mushrooms he said he had legally purchased. He acknowledged the firearm silencers in his home. He admitted having more firearms and accessories stored at his brother in-law’s house, also in Bellevue. His brother in-law told ATF agents that he had stored the firearms for Roggentine for approximately one month due to concerns that Roggentine would use them to harm himself or others and provided consent for agents to remove them, in total: one firearm silencer and four short-barreled rifles belonging to Roggentine – None of which were registered in the NFRTR.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Bellevue Police Department.