Investigators from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released statements yesterday (Tuesday) following Monday’s sentencing of the former Adair Police Chief and BW Outfitters owner, who was ordered to serve five years in federal prison for abusing his position in law enforcement to obtain machine guns and lying to government agencies. Forty-seven-year-old Bradley Eugene Wendt of Denison has been Adair’s police chief since July 2018 and also operates a federal firearms licensee in Denison. Evidence presented at trial showed that between July 2018 and August 2022, Wendt used his position to acquire machine guns for personal use and profit, including for resale at his store. During this period, Wendt wrote nearly 40 law letters to the ATF, requesting 90 machine guns for the two-man Adair Police Department. These letters falsely claimed the guns were for official use or future demonstrations. Instead, Wendt resold some of the guns, making nearly $80,000 in profit, and used some for personal gain, including a .50 caliber machine gun mounted on his armored Humvee. FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said, “We expect law enforcement officers to uphold their oath to protect and serve our communities. Instead, Brad Wendt broke the law and betrayed the community by unlawfully obtaining and selling firearms for his own personal profit. The FBI remains steadfast in aggressively investigating and bringing to justice those who misuse their authority for personal gain.” Gordon N. Mallory, Acting Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Kansas City Division, said, “Wendt was held accountable for committing a betrayal of the public’s trust by engaging in this machine gun trafficking scheme for personal gain. This sentence sends a loud message to anyone in public service: if they betray their oath of office and their responsibility to their community, they will be held accountable.” U.S. Attorney Richard Westphal said, “At its core, this case was about false statements, driven by the personal ambition of a man who saw his badge as a means to an end, rather than a calling.” In addition to the five-year prison sentence, Wendt was also ordered to pay a $50,000 fine. Comments made during Monday’s sentencing hearing indicate Wendt intends to appeal his case to the U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.
