Wyoming Man Sentenced to Over Seven Years for Felonious Gun Possession After Sovereign Citizen Standoff

In a case that highlights the dangers posed by self-proclaimed “sovereign citizens,” Frank Ray Berris, 53, of Casper, Wyoming, was sentenced to seven years and six months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. The sentencing comes after a dramatic series of events that included a three-hour standoff and Berris’s defiant claims of legal immunity from U.S. laws.

The saga began on February 3, when a Wyoming Highway Patrol Trooper stopped Berris near Casper for driving with fictitious license plates. Upon approaching the vehicle, the trooper immediately noticed an AR-style rifle positioned between the console and passenger seat of Berris’s Ford Explorer, as well as a pistol.

Berris refused to exit the vehicle, sparking a standoff that lasted three hours. During the tense encounter, he told officers they would have to kill him if they wanted him to comply. Ultimately, he surrendered without further violence and was arrested.

A subsequent search of the vehicle uncovered a semiautomatic rifle, two semiautomatic pistols, and various types of ammunition—all of which Berris, as a convicted felon, was prohibited from possessing.

Federal Prosecution and Sovereign Citizen Defense

Acting U.S. Attorney for Wyoming, Eric Heimann, condemned Berris’s actions in a statement released Friday. “Mr. Berris has repeatedly refused to recognize that he is required to follow the law just like everyone else,” Heimann said. “His arrogance, threats, and unlawful possession of guns put the defendant, law enforcement officers, and the general public in harm’s way.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office emphasized that this prison sentence serves as a warning to others: “No one is above the law, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will aggressively prosecute felons who unlawfully possess firearms.”

Berris, who represented himself at trial, pleaded not guilty but was convicted in June following a grand jury indictment. His trial was marked by his repeated assertions of being a sovereign citizen, a movement that rejects government authority.

Viral Encounter Highlights Sovereign Citizen Beliefs

This isn’t the first time Berris has made headlines. He previously posted footage of an earlier encounter with law enforcement to YouTube, where he passionately argued that authorities had “zero authority” over him.

In the video, Berris handed a passport to a trooper and refused to exit his vehicle, calling law enforcement officers “revenuers for a foreign corporation.” He accused them of attempting to “kidnap” him and violate his right to travel freely.

“I don’t have to do what you ask,” Berris declared to one officer. “You’re threatening me to get out of this vehicle so you can try to kidnap me.”

When an officer warned he would break the car windows, Berris escalated the rhetoric: “We’re going to have a gunfight on the side of the road.”

Despite the heated exchange, officers allowed Berris to leave the scene that day, but they later issued warrants for speeding, operating a vehicle without registration, interference, using a sovereign plate, and unlawful use of a firearm.

Pattern of Defiance

Berris’s defiance continued in subsequent incidents, including another traffic stop on December 15, 2022. A Fremont County Sheriff’s deputy pulled him over for speeding and again found the vehicle unregistered. Berris refused to acknowledge the deputy’s authority, but this time, he was arrested without incident.

Officers discovered a .45-caliber pistol on Berris at the time of his arrest, along with a loaded magazine later found during processing at the jail.

A Clear Message from the Court

Friday’s sentencing marks the culmination of Berris’s legal troubles and sends a stern warning to those who claim sovereign citizen status as a defense against the law. With over seven years in federal prison, Berris will have time to reflect on his actions and the risks they posed to himself, law enforcement, and the community.

The case also underscores the federal government’s commitment to prosecuting felons who possess firearms, especially in cases where defiance of the law and threats of violence exacerbate public safety concerns.

As this story continues to circulate across social media and news outlets, it has reignited discussions about the sovereign citizen movement and the challenges law enforcement faces when dealing with individuals who reject legal authority.