St. Paul Field Division

Mt. Rushmore Photo used under Creative Commons from flickr user akeg

Welcome to ATF’s St. Paul Field Division. From the pristine Lake Michigan shores of Wisconsin, extending west through Minnesota’s “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” and continuing to the Black Hills of South Dakota and the Badlands of Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota, the St. Paul Field Division has a large geographic area of responsibility. Our dedicated work force is comprised of special agents, investigators, auditors, technicians and support staff.

ATF’s St. Paul Field Division special agents combat firearms violence by focusing their investigative efforts on armed violent offenders, career criminals, gun traffickers and gangs. We also work in partnership with other local, state and federal law enforcement agencies throughout the field division to accomplish this mission. Some of our more notable investigations have been the Outlaws motorcycle gang, the Tre-Tre Crips and the Detroit Boys street gangs.

Employees of the ATF St. Paul Field Division are also very proactive in investigating violations of federal law pertaining to arson and explosives. Our high success rate of these investigations is a direct correlation of our close working relationship with the state and local fire departments and police bomb squads.

ATF also has the duty of regulating the firearms and explosives industries. Our industry operations investigators work to ensure that all firearms and explosives are stored, handled and sold in a safe manner according to law.

We encourage all residents to get involved and assist us in our goal of reducing crime in our communities. Give us a call and let us know what we can do for you. Our phone number is (651) 726-0200.

Bernard J. Zapor


Division Management Team

Bernard J. Zapor
Special Agent In Charge (SAC)
Steven J. Bogdalek
Assistant Special Agent In Charge (ASAC)
Guy N. Thomas
Assistant Special Agent In Charge (ASAC)
Mary Jo Hughes
Director of Industry Operations (DIO)
Robert M. Schmidt
Public Information Officer (PIO)

Division Contact Information

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
30 East Seventh Street, Suite 1900
St. Paul, Minnesota 55101 USA
Voice (651) 726-0200
Fax (651) 726-0201

St. Paul Police Dept. Officer Recipient of ATF National Award

August 24, 2010

A St. Paul Police Department (SPPD) officer was presented today with the ATF Jake Kuredjian Memorial Award by U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Deputy Director Kenneth E. Melson at ATF’s 14th Annual Awards Ceremony in Washington, D.C. More »

ATF Announces $5,000 Reward in Gun Theft

August 23, 2010

Special Agent in Charge Bernard J. Zapor of the St. Paul Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), today announced that ATF is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the theft of firearms that occurred at Gene’s Sports Shop in Perham, Minn. More »

William Michael Lapp, Jr. Pleads Guilty in U.S. Federal Court

August 18, 2010

The United States Attorney’s Office announced that during a federal court session in Helena, on August 18, 2010, before Senior U.S. District Judge Charles C. Lovell, WILLIAM MICHAEL LAPP, JR., a 37-year-old resident of Kalispell/Helena, pled guilty to robbery affecting commerce and use of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence. Sentencing has been set for November 18. He is currently detained. More »

ATF Announces $5,000 Reward in Gun Theft

August 5, 2010

Special Agent in Charge Bernard J. Zapor of the St. Paul Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), announced today that ATF is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the theft of firearms from Bluewater Bait and Sports in Bemidji, MN. More »

3 Sentenced for Distributing Methamphetamine

July 8, 2010

A St. Paul man and two California men were sentenced earlier today in federal court in Minneapolis for distributing approximately 223 grams of methamphetamine in January of 2009. United States District Court Chief Judge Michael J. Davis sentenced two of the three men on one count of distribution of 50 or more grams of methamphetamine. More »

ATF Announces $5,000 Reward in Gun Theft

June 28, 2010

Special Agent in Charge Bernard J. Zapor of the St. Paul Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), today announced that ATF is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the theft of firearms that occurred at Gun and Reel Sports in Jamestown, N.D. More »

ATF Agent is Honored by U.S. Attorney for Dismantling Drug Trafficking Operations in Duluth

May 25, 2010

Since 2002, federal prosecutors in Minnesota have dismantled many Duluth-based drug and gun trafficking organizations by prosecuting more than 200 of their leaders and members. One reason for the success of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in these cases has been the extraordinary investigations conducted by the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) in partnership with the Duluth Police Department and the Lake Superior Drug and Gang Task Force. More »

Porcupine Man Sentenced for Shooting Tribal Officer’s Home

April 26, 2010

U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a man charged with Assault Upon a Federal Officer was sentenced on April 23, 2010, by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken. Jesse Miller, age 22, of Porcupine, was sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $100 to the Victim Assistance Fund. More »

Purported Gang Leader Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

April 5, 2010

B. Todd Jones, United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota, announced that a 32-year-old purported leader of the Native Gangster Disciples street gang was sentenced earlier today in federal court for being a felon in possession of a firearm. In St. Paul, U.S. District Court Judge Patrick Schiltz declared it to be one of the worst gun cases he has seen on the bench and sentenced Douglas David Peake to 115 months in prison on one count of felon in possession of a firearm. Peake was indicted on August 20, 2009, and pled guilty on November 23, 2009. More »

8 More Defendants Sentenced for Distributing Methamphetamine in Duluth

February 18, 2010

This week eight people in a 28-defendant methamphetamine distribution case were sentenced in federal court. Collectively, the defendants in this case were responsible for distributing between 30 and 50 pounds of methamphetamine in the Duluth area from 2005 to 2008. More »

ATF Offers Up to $5,000 Reward in Rapid City Casino Robberies

February 4, 2010

Bernard J. Zapor, Special Agent in Charge of the St. Paul Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), today announced that ATF is offering up to a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the Dec. 29 armed robbery at the Royal Casino and the Feb. 1 armed robbery at the King of Hearts Casino, both located in Rapid City, S.D. More »

ATF Announces Up to $10,000 Reward for Information on the Pizza Man Arson

January 29, 2010

Investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Milwaukee Police and Fire Departments and the Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI) announced today that ATF is posting a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest of the person or persons responsible for the Jan 19 arson fire that destroyed several North Avenue businesses including Pizza Man, Cush Lounge, Grecian Delight, Black and White Café and several upstairs apartments. More »

8 Sentenced For Operating Crack Cocaine Ring in Duluth

January 8, 2010

Earlier today three defendants appeared in federal court in Duluth to be sentenced for their roles in a crack cocaine distribution ring that operated in the Duluth area between January of 2008 and February of 2009. United States District Court Judge Richard H. Kyle sentenced Earl David Bowser, age 30, of Chicago, Illinois, to 120 months in prison; Alten Eugene Hall, age 22, of Harvey, Illinois, to 60 months in prison; and Raymond Vick Bowser, age 25, of Duluth, Minnesota, to 46 months in prison. More »

Charges in Cold Case Kidnapping from West St. Paul

January 7, 2010

Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom announced that Che Lamar Romero, age 40, currently residing in federal prison in California, has been charged with four counts of Kidnapping in connection with two separate incidents in West St. Paul in 2002… More »

St. Paul Press Release Archive