Grand Jury Returns Indictments
MADISON, WIS. -- A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Lincoln County Man Charged with Gun Crime
Daniel Boldt, 46, Town of Corning, Wisconsin, is charged with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. The indictment alleges that on August 24, 2019, he possessed a .22 caliber rifle, a .32 caliber revolver, a .22 caliber pistol, a 12 gauge shotgun, a 9mm pistol, and .22 caliber ammunition.
If convicted, Boldt faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The charges against him are the result of an investigation by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rita M. Rumbelow is handling the prosecution.
Rock County Man Charged with Illegally Possessing a Firearm
Austin Hedges, 23, Clinton, Wisconsin, is charged in a complaint filed in U.S. District Court today with being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. The complaint alleges that Hedges, knowing he had previously been committed to a mental institution, possessed a .38 caliber pistol.
The complaint and affidavit filed today allege that Hedges was the subject of an Order of Commitment issued in Rock County Circuit Court on June 12, 2013, and that as part of that order, Hedges was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition. The affidavit alleges that federal law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hedge’s home in Clinton, and the pistol was found in his possession. Hedges was arrested by FBI agents. He appeared in federal court in Madison this afternoon and remains in federal custody.
The charge against Hedges is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman is handling the prosecution.
Mexican Citizen Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S. and Possessing Firearm & Ammunition
Francisco Arturo Cruz-Martinez, 32, a citizen of Mexico found in Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and with reentering the United States after previously being removed. The indictment alleges that on September 22, 2019, Cruz-Martinez was found in possession of a .38 caliber handgun and ammunition.
If convicted, Cruz-Martinez faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on the gun charge, and two years in federal prison on the illegal reentry charge.
The charges against him are the result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Corey is handling the prosecution.
The charges filed today against Boldt, Hedges, and Cruz-Martinez have been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition, and violent crimes and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
###
