Fairbanks Man Indicted on Federal Gun Charges

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Bradley Kruger, 20, of Fairbanks, has been indicted for Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

According to state court documents, on July 27, 2020, Kruger was stopped by Alaska State Troopers for a traffic violation.  During the stop, Troopers observed loose ammunition on the front passenger seat of the vehicle. Kruger self -identified that he was on felony probation and his probation officer requested a search of Kruger and the vehicle for prohibited weapons and controlled substances. During the search, Troopers located drugs and drug paraphernalia, a loaded Smith and Wesson 22 caliber pistol, 2 loaded AR15 magazines, and a backpack containing a pry bar, bolt cutters, screwdriver and wire snips. Further investigation revealed the pistol had been reported as lost one week earlier. Kruger has a prior felony conviction and is prohibited from possessing firearms.         

If convicted on the federal charges, Kruger faces a maximum of 10 years in prison.  Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Alaska State Troopers (AST) conducted the investigation leading to the charges in this case.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Doty.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please visit https://www.justice.gov/ag/about-project-guardian

The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.