Leavenworth County man pleads guilty to gun theft in federal court

One Leavenworth County man has pleaded guilty and another is awaiting trial for the burglary and theft of firearms from a Winchester gun shop.

Andrew M. Amundsen, 19, Leavenworth, pleaded guilty last week in Federal District Court to one count of burglary and theft from a federally licensed gun dealer.

A co-defendant, Justin E. Hornback, 20, Tonganoxie, is awaiting trial.

According to court records both men drove and parked a short distance away from the gun shop during the early morning hours of May 18, 2011.

Both men walked to the shop where power lines were cut to avoid setting off a security alarm.

A rear door was forced open and Amundsen entered the building while Hornback allegedly waited outside. Both men carried 15 firearms back to the vehicle that included pump shotguns, semiautomatic rifles and pistols.

The records state that both men drove to an acquaintance in Leavenworth County the next morning and demonstrated the weapons.

Later that day the weapons were sold to some brothers in Leavenworth County for cash and electronic items.

A month later Leavenworth County Sheriff Deputies issued search warrants at the brothers’ residence where the stolen firearms were found. The brothers claimed that they did not know the guns were stolen and said they had bought them from Amundsen and Hornback.

Police contacted friends of both men who confirmed that they had seen both men with guns and that they had talked about stealing them at Winchester.

Amundsen could face 10 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine but prosecutors will ask for only five years probation as part of the plea agreement. Sentencing is set for April 4.