United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Virgil Running Bear, Jr., age 40, was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 15, 2013, for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. Running Bear appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge William D. Gerdes on May 23, 2013, and pled not guilty to the Indictment. The maximum penalty upon conviction is 10 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both; 3 years of supervised release; an additional 2 years of supervised release upon revocation; and a mandatory $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered. The charge is merely an accusation, and Running Bear is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Edmunds County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich is prosecuting the case. Running Bear was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal’s Service. A trial date has not yet been set.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
