A Fredericktown, Missouri man appeared in federal court after being indicted for attempting to purchase a firearm while facing felony charges. William Bruce Branum, 64, was charged by a federal grand jury on July 22, 2025. The indictment alleges that Branum submitted a false written statement to a Federal Firearms Licensee in Alton, Missouri on April 26, 2025, as part of his attempt to acquire a firearm.
Authorities stated that the indictment is an accusation and not evidence of guilt. The case will proceed before a federal trial jury tasked with determining guilt or innocence.
If convicted under federal law, Branum could face up to ten years in prison without parole. Sentencing will be determined by the court based on advisory guidelines and statutory factors following a presentence investigation conducted by the United States Probation Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony M. Brown is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America. The initiative coordinates resources from the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) to address illegal immigration, target criminal organizations and cartels, and protect communities from violent crime.
