By Devin Fry, Valley News Live
A Fargo man with multiple felony convictions has agreed to plead guilty to federal firearm charges stemming from a June incident where witnesses reported he pointed a gun at them during a traffic confrontation.
Timothy Busche signed a plea agreement October 2 in U.S. District Court, admitting to being a felon in possession of a firearm. The agreement was filed Oct. 3.
The charges stem from a June 8 incident that occurred shortly after midnight near 45th Street and 19th Avenue North. Two people reported that a passenger in a vehicle pulled a gun and pointed it at them while they were in their car at the intersection, according to court documents.
“This caused them to fear for their lives,” the plea agreement states. “One of them even reported seeing the trigger pulled though no shot was fired.”
The victims obtained a description of the vehicle and its license plate, leading West Fargo police to stop a Ford Fusion shortly after the incident. Busche was the front passenger, with his father driving.
We previously reported on this incident, which you can find here.
Evidence discovered during search
A search of the vehicle revealed a Taurus G3c 9mm pistol inside a white tote bag on the center console. The bag also contained methamphetamine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia, along with a partially disassembled air gun.
Busche admitted the narcotics belonged to him but denied having a firearm or pointing anything at the other individuals. He acknowledged knowing his father had a firearm in the car.
His father had purchased the gun about two months earlier from a Fargo dealer, but the firearm was manufactured out of state by a Brazilian company, according to court documents.
Busche has at least eight previous convictions for offenses punishable by more than one year in prison and was on parole for one of them when the June incident occurred. Federal law prohibits convicted felons from possessing firearms.
Sentencing details
Under the plea agreement, Busche faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He must also pay a $100 special assessment.
Federal prosecutors agreed to recommend a sentence at the low end of sentencing guidelines in exchange for Busche’s guilty plea and cooperation. The agreement includes provisions for reduced sentences based on acceptance of responsibility and timely notification of his intention to plead guilty.
A formal sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
