Iowa police chief charged with unlawfully having machine guns

The police chief of Adair, Iowa, has been charged with unlawfully obtaining and possessing machine guns, and is alleged to have resold them, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa announced Thursday.

Chief Bradley Wendt abused his position and made false statements to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and Explosives in order to acquire the machine guns, some of which he later resold, according to the Attorney’s Office announcement.

Between July 2018 and August 2022, Chief Wendt acquired, for demonstration or purchase, approximately 90 machine guns for the Adair Police Department, which serves a town of less than 800 residents.

Chief Wendt’s machine guns went to multiple people and toward multiple purposes. Ten guns, for example, were earmarked for official use - but several were sold by him for considerable profit, federal authorities stated.

Another 13 guns were sold at Chief Wendt’s store BW Outfitters. Chief Wendt is accused of making a false statement to the ATF, saying the guns were meant to be examined for the Adair PD’s possible future purchase.

Friends of Chief Wendt also got in on the action, prosecutors said.

Federal firearms licensee Williams Contracting, operated by Chief Wendt’s friend Robert Williams, got 10 machine guns, which federal officials said were acquired under the false pretense of being sought for demonstration and possible future purchase by the Adair PD.

Chief Wendt and Mr. Williams also are accused of hosting public machine gun shoots, charging customers money to shoot guns registered to the police department and the defendants’ stores.

The two instead stockpiled the weapons for future resale and profit, federal prosecutors said.

“Mr. Wendt is charged with exploiting his position as chief of police to unlawfully obtain and sell guns for his own personal profit. The FBI is committed to … hold accountable those who violate their oath of office to enrich themselves,” FBI Omaha Office Special Agent-in-Charge Eugene Kowel said.

Chief Wendt faces 18 counts of making false statements to the ATF, and one count of illegal possession of a machine gun. Mr. Williams faces three counts of making false statements to the ATF, and one count of aiding and abetting a false statement.

“If convicted, Mr. Wendt faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten years. Mr. Williams faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years,” the Attorney’s Office release states.

The defendants’ guns have also been repossessed.

On Aug. 31, the ATF seized eight machine guns worth $2,000 each and a silencer worth $100 from Chief Wendt, and seized 10 machine guns worth $2,000 each and a $100 silencer from Mr. Williams, according to an ATF forfeiture document.

“This case demonstrates the importance of ATF’s vigilance in regulating federal firearms licensees and bringing to justice those who willfully circumvent federal law in favor of personal profit and abuse public trust,” said ATF Kansas City Field Division Special Agent in Charge Fred Winston in the Attorney’s Office press release.