Michele Beckwith Acting U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California
A former police officer from Sanger, Daniel Battenfield, 40, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on three counts related to illegal firearms dealing and obstruction. The indictment alleges that Battenfield unlawfully dealt firearms without a license, made materially false statements to a federal agent, and lied on a federal firearms form.
Court documents reveal that since at least 2016, Battenfield purchased and resold hundreds of firearms. Utilizing his law enforcement status, he acquired the firearms below market price and resold them for profit. He allegedly placed an order directly for a customer while falsely claiming the purchase was for himself on a federal form. When questioned by federal agents about his activities, he is accused of providing false information. These actions led to his placement on leave by the Sanger Police Department in July 2024.
The investigation is conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with support from the Sanger Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes is handling the prosecution.
If convicted of unlawful dealing in firearms or making false statements to a government agency, Battenfield could face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A conviction for making materially false statements during firearm purchases carries a potential sentence of ten years in prison and fines up to $250,000. Sentencing would be determined by the court based on statutory factors and Federal Sentencing Guidelines. The charges remain allegations until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. The U.S. Department of Justice enhanced this strategy in May 2021 to emphasize trust-building within communities, support for community-based violence prevention organizations, strategic enforcement priorities, and outcome measurement.
