Gallatin County Man Charged With Illegally Possessing Firearms

Frederick J. Zirkelbach, 48, of Ridgeway, Illinois, was arraigned today in United States District Court in Benton on an indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. The indictment, returned by a Federal Grand Jury on April 2nd, alleged that Zirkelbach was found to be in possession of 14 firearms on March 9, 2013. Prior to that date, Zirkelbach had been convicted of two felony offenses, making it illegal under federal law for him to possess firearms or ammunition.

An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.

If convicted, Zirkelbach faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release to follow his incarceration. The firearms he illegally possessed are also subject to forfeiture to the United States.

Zirkelbach was ordered held without bond and was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal to await further proceedings.

The case was investigated by the Carmi office of the Southern Illinois Drug Task Force and the Illinois State Police with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and the Gallatin County State’s Attorney’s Office.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James M. Cutchin.