- Adair Police Chief Brad Wendt, 47, was convicted by a federal jury of lying to federal authorities to obtain a machine gun.
- Wendt then sold the machine gun for personal profit, totaling approximately $80,000.
- Sentencing is scheduled for June 14 and carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
A small-town Iowa police chief was found guilty by a federal jury Wednesday of lying to federal authorities to obtain a machine gun. Prosecutors say he sold it for his own profit.
A jury convicted Adare Police Chief Brad Wendt, 47, of making false statements to the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and illegally possessing a machine gun. He was found guilty on 11 of the 15 charges.
Wendt was indicted in December 2022 on charges that he lied to authorities in an official letter requesting to purchase a machine gun or attend a demonstration.
Iowa police chief charged with lying to obtain two dozen machine guns
Authorities say the suspect bought a machine gun for police use and sold it for a personal profit of about $80,000. Federal prosecutors said trial evidence showed he purchased machine guns for his gun shop, including a .50 caliber machine gun he mounted in his armored Humvee.
This photo shows a .50 caliber machine gun. Trial evidence shows Wendt purchased machine guns for the gun shop, including his .50 caliber machine gun mounted in his own armored Humvee. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
“Brad Wendt completely abused the position of trust he held and used his position as police chief to obtain personal information,” FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Cowell said in a statement Thursday. “Illegally obtained and sold guns for profit.” “While so many law enforcement officers in our country strive to protect our communities and uphold the law, Brad Wendt did just the opposite.”
Wendt’s attorney, Nick Klinefeldt, called the jury’s decision a “split verdict,” finding that his client acted in good faith and did not intend to be dishonest with the ATF. said.
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“Unfortunately, the jury found that some of Brad’s subsequent statements were technically false and that he had brought a machine gun he had purchased with his own money for Adare Police to a machine gun range open to the public. “And so did law enforcement,” Kleinfeldt said.
Klinefeldt said the jury reached its verdict due to incorrect jury instructions, adding Wendt intends to appeal the verdict.
Sentencing for Wendt is scheduled for June 14, and he could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison on the machine gun possession charge.
Mr. Wendt has been the chief of police in Adair, a city of about 800 residents, since July 2018. The city’s website still listed him as police chief as of Thursday. A phone message left at City Hall was not returned.
Another man, Robert Williams, was also charged, but his charges were dismissed last year.
