A Casper, Wyoming, man was sentenced Friday to seven years, six months in prison for being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
Frank Ray Berris, 53, had essentially proclaimed himself a sovereign citizen before being stopped for driving with fictious license plates.
The Wyoming Highway Patrol Trooper who stopped him near Casper on Feb. 3 spotted an AR-style rifle between the console and passenger seat of the Ford Explorer Berris was driving, along with a pistol, says a Friday statement by the U.S. Attorney for Wyoming.
The stop led to a three-hour standoff, says the statement.
Berris refused to exit his car and told officers they’d have to kill him. But he eventually surrendered and was arrested.
When agents executed a search warrant on his vehicle, they seized a semiautomatic rifle, two semiautomatic pistols and ammunition of various calibers, though Berris is a convicted felon, says the statement.
“Mr. Berris has repeatedly refused to recognize that he is required to follow the law just like everyone else,” acting U.S. Attorney Eric Heimann said in the statement. “His arrogance, threats and unlawful possession of guns put the defendant, law enforcement officers, and the general public in harm’s way.”
Heimann said the prison sentence delivers “a clear message that no one is above the law, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will aggressively prosecute felons who unlawfully possess firearms.”
A grand jury indicted Berris, and he pleaded not guilty in March. He represented himself at trial and was convicted in June, the statement says.
The YouTuber
Berris posted one of his earlier police encounters to YouTube.
“I don’t have to do what you ask,” Berris tells a sheriff’s deputy, in the video. “You have zero authority over me. I don’t contract with foreign corporations.”
He had handed his passport to a trooper before he started the filming, Berris’ video indicates.
A sheriff’s deputy urges him to get out of the vehicle and “explain the passport.”
Berris tells the deputy to get it from the troopers. When the deputy indicates they won’t give it back yet, Berris said Wyoming authorities have taken his private property.
“Why do you guys want me out of this vehicle so bad?” he asks. “You have no authority over me. None … You’re threatening me to get out of this vehicle so you can try to kidnap me.”
He calls the officers “revenuers for a foreign corporation,” and that they are ignorant of the law.
“I respect your beliefs — “ one agent begins.
“This ain’t beliefs!” Berris shouts.
The agent says he’s going to break the windows and force Berris out of the vehicle.
“We’re going to have a gunfight on the side of the road,” says Berris.
“Why you threatening to get in a gunfight, Frank,” says another agent.
“Because I’m not going to allow them … to violate my right to travel freely, and damage my private property,” he answers. He sent “state’s attorneys” cease and desist notices, he says.
The police confer behind the vehicle. Berris watches them in his rearview mirror.
“You’re free to go for now,” an agent says at last, handing Berris’ passport back to them.
“You guys have a nice day,” says Berris, after verifying no one sabotaged his vehicle.
The affidavit originally filed in this case describes that same traffic stop, saying it happened Nov. 9, 2022.
It says Berris was free to leave, with authorities later issuing warrants for speeding, operating a vehicle without registration, interference, using a sovereign plate, and unlawful use of a firearm.
And In December
On Dec. 15, 2022, a Fremont County Sheriff’s Office deputy pulled Berris over for speeding and noticed the vehicle wasn’t registered, the affidavit also says.
Berris again said he was a sovereign citizen.
The deputy told Berris he had a warrant for the incidents from a month prior.
“Are we going to shoot it out boys?” asked Berris of the other two male passengers in the vehicle, who were about 59 and 76 years old, according to the affidavit.
Berris eventually agreed to get out of the vehicle. The deputy removed a .45-caliber pistol from Berris’ person and arrested him, the document says. Once at the jail, staffers found a loaded magazine on the man as well, reportedly.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
