DOJ Seal

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney's Office
District of Alaska

For Immediate Release

Thursday, May 10, 2018
Bryan Schroder
, United States Attorney
Contact: Chloe Martin

Alaska Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing 29 Firearms as a Convicted Felon

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Steven Andrew Bush, 56, a former Nikiski resident, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess, to serve 45 months in prison for illegally possessing firearms as a convicted felon. Bush previously pleaded guilty on Jan. 3, 2018, to one count of felon in possession of a firearm.

On Feb. 8, 2017, the Soldotna Police Department received a call from a resident of the Kenai Peninsula who claimed Bush was carrying a firearm while demanding payment for construction work. Bush had falsely represented himself as a member of law enforcement and possessed a fake Alaska State Troopers badge, along with a t-shirt indicating the wearer was an agent of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. A search of Bush’s shared residence in Kenai revealed that he was in possession of 28 firearms, including a fully automatic Sten MKII machinegun. Bush also possessed another firearm in one of his former residences in Danville, Virginia.

Bush has a previous felony conviction in Virginia for embezzlement. As someone convicted of a felony, Bush was prohibited from possessing firearms.

At yesterday’s sentencing hearing, Judge Burgess remarked that it was especially important to “send a message” to people whom might consider falsely representing themselves to be law enforcement agents. As part of the plea agreement, Bush surrendered his law enforcement memorabilia, holsters, and ammunition boxes. The Court also ordered forfeiture of firearms and ammunition that Bush owned.

The Soldotna Police Department, the Alaska State Troopers (AST), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonas Walker.

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Seattle Field Division