Ridgeway Man Sentenced To Over 5 Years In Prison For Illegally Possessing 14 Firearms

Frederick J. Zirkelbach, 49, of Ridgeway, Illinois, was sentenced today in United States District Court in Benton to a term of 63 months’ imprisonment for being a felon in possession of firearms, announced Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. Zirkelbach was charged with illegally possessing 14 firearms in an indictment returned by a Federal Grand Jury on April 2nd. Those firearms were found during the execution of a search warrant at Zirkelbach’s residence by the Illinois State Police on March 9th. Also found were marijuana, methamphetamine, and items for use in growing and manufacturing those illegal drugs. Zirkelbach, who had previously been convicted of two felony offenses which made it illegal under federal law for him to possess firearms or ammunition, pled guilty to the indictment on May 22nd.

In addition to the 63 month term of imprisonment, Zirkelbach was ordered to pay fines and special assessments totaling $400, placed on a 3 year term of supervised release to follow his incarceration, and ordered to forfeit the 14 firearms to the United States.

Zirkelbach has been held without bond since his arrest on the federal charges and was again remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal to await designation to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.

The case was investigated by the District 19 office of the Illinois State Police and the Carmi office of the Southern Illinois Drug Task Force with the assistance of the Ridgeway Police Department.

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