EDWIN ROBERT ANDERSON PLEADS GUILTY IN U.S. FEDERAL COURT

Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Great Falls on September 21, 2006, before U.S. District Judge Sam E. Haddon, EDWIN ROBERT ANDERSON, a 51-year-old resident of Browning, pled guilty to being a felon-in-possession of a firearm. Sentencing is set for January 4, 2007. He is currently released on special conditions.

In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

On September 20, 2001, ANDERSON was convicted in federal court for illegal taking, killing, or possessing a migratory bird.

In December of 2005, a resident of Browning visited a pawnshop in Great Falls. The man recognized a Ruger, M77 25-06 rifle which was on display as a rifle that had been stolen from him. The man contacted the police.

During the ensuing investigation, investigators learned that ANDERSON had pawned the Ruger rifle and four other firearms at the pawnshop on July 23, 2005.

On July 10, 2005, an FBI agent interviewed ANDERSON. ANDERSON stated that he was the owner of Northern High Plains Outfitters in Browning and that one of his employees had taken the Ruger rifle in trade at the store and that ANDERSON had then pawned it and four other firearms in Great Falls.

Following his interview with the FBI, ANDERSON spoke with this employee. ANDERSON told the employee that he had told the FBI that the employee had taken the guns in trade. ANDERSON instructed the employee that if he was contacted by the FBI, the employee should state he had taken the guns in trade.

The FBI agent contacted the employee who revealed that he did not take the guns in trade. The employee further advised the agent of ANDERSON'S effort to persuade him to tell the FBI that he had.

ANDERSON faces possible penalties of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and 3 years supervised release.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph E. Thaggard prosecuted the case for the United States.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Browning.