DES MOINES, Iowa — The former Adair, Iowa police chief has been sentenced to five years in prison for lying to the federal government in order to obtain funds to buy multiple guns.
Brad Wendt was convicted by a federal jury in February of lying to federal authorities to acquire machine guns. Prosecutors said Wendt told authorities he was buying the guns for the police department, then sold the weapons for almost $80,000 in profit.
Wendt was found guilty on 11 counts, including:
- Conspiracy to Make False Statements to the ATF
- False Statements on Purchase Law Letters
- False Statements on Demonstration Law Letters
“In a stark abuse of the position of trust he held, Brad Wendt exploited his position as chief of police to unlawfully obtain and sell guns for his own personal profit," FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said in a statement following the conviction. "When so many law enforcement officers in our country are working to protect our communities and uphold the law, Brad Wendt did exactly the opposite."
In addition to the prison sentence, Wendt has been ordered to pay $51,000 in penalties and forfeit a list of property that includes more than a dozen firearms.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.