BISMARCK - U.S. Attorney Timothy Q. Purdon announced that on November 7, 2014, Brian Lamont Sweeney, 47, Minot, 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. Sweeney was convicted of the charge by a federal jury on June 19, 2014.
Judge Hovland sentenced Sweeney to serve seven years in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Sweeney was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Crime Victim’s Fund.
On Oct. 14, 2013, in Minot, North Dakota, Sweeney was stopped for a traffic violation. After smelling the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle, a law enforcement search resulted in the discovery of a loaded.380 caliber handgun.
Sweeney was prohibited from possessing either a firearm or ammunition by virtue of multiple felony convictions, including possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, aggravated assault, and felon in possession of a firearm. He was on probation with the State of North Dakota at the time of the offense.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Minot Police Department, the Ward County Sheriff’s Office and the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation - Parole and Probation Services.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Hagler prosecuted the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
