Iowa This article is more than 1 year oldIowa police chief charged with fraud for allegedly selling machine guns for profit
This article is more than 1 year oldBradley Wendt bought more than 90 machine guns and hosted public shootouts, charging participants to fire the guns
An Iowa police chief faces fraud charges for allegedly buying and selling machine guns for personal profit, despite stating the purchases were related to department business.
Bradley Wendt, 46 and the police chief of Adair, Iowa, bought more than 90 machine guns between 2018 to 2022, claiming the weapons would be used for “the official duties and responsibilities of the Adair police department”, the justice department said.
On 14 December, Wendt and an associate, Robert Williams, also 46, were charged with conspiracy to make false statements and defrauding the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Wendt was also charged with illegal possession of a machine gun.
Wendt is alleged to have falsely stated to ATF officials that the guns would be used to demonstrate potential for a future buy on behalf of the department or generally for department use.
Instead, prosecutors allege, Wendt and Williams hosted public shootouts, charging participants to fire the guns. During one such event, the New York Times reported, Wendt mounted a gun on his car and charged participants $5 a round to fire it.
On another occasion, Wendt is alleged to have bought 10 guns he claimed were for Adair police but then resold the firearms for a “significant profit”. Wendt is also alleged to have planned to stockpile weapons to be sold at his gun shop.
“Brad Wendt is charged with exploiting his position as chief of police to unlawfully obtain and sell guns for his own personal profit,” Eugene Kowel, FBI Omaha special agent in charge, said in a statement.
Adair, Iowa, known for water towers featuring smiley faces, is a town of around 800 people. Its police department has never had more than three full-time officers, the Washington Post reported.
As of Thursday morning, Wendt was still listed as police chief on the city website. He or his lawyers had not commented.
Clint Fichter, a lawyer for the city, told the Times Wendt had not used city funds to purchase the weapons. He also confirmed that Wendt had been placed on leave.
Fichter confirmed that several members of the city council were aware that Wendt bought at least 10 machine guns for the department, with six being found during a raid of city hall in September.
If found guilty, Wendt would face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Williams would face a maximum sentence of five years.
The image on this article was removed on 30 December 2022 and replaced by one more appropriate to the content of the article.
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