BISMARCK - U.S. Attorney Timothy Q. Purdon announced that on March 27, 2013, Justin Linder, 25, Twin Buttes, N.D., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel L. Hovland on a charge of possession of firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Linder pleaded guilty to the charge on Nov. 15, 2012.
Judge Hovland sentenced Linder to serve three years and two months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Linder was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Crime Victim’s Fund.
On Dec. 31, 2011, Linder was stopped for a traffic offense by an officer with the Dickinson Police Department. After Linder was unable to show proof of insurance, during a pat down, the officer found a gun magazine in Linder’s pocket. At that point, Linder resisted the officer, was able to get back in the car and drive away. After a high speed chase, Linder was able to elude law enforcement. Linder was apprehended later that day. The car was also located later that day, stuck in a ditch.
During the initial stop, Linder’s mother was in the car. She got out before he fled and gave a statement to the police that Linder had a 9mm handgun and gun magazines in the car. On Jan. 3, 2012, law enforcement was able to locate a 9mm handgun in an area between where Linder’s car was last seen and later located. The gun had a magazine and round chambered.
Linder was prohibited from possessing either a firearm or ammunition by virtue of his previous felony convictions for possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, in federal court in 2007, and burglary, in Cass County District Court, in 2008.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Dickinson Police Department and the Stark County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Hagler prosecuted the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
