N.D. man sentenced on assault, resisting federal officer charges

U.S. Attorney Timothy Q. Purdon announced that on Monday, Benjamin L. Gange, 33, of Lincoln, N.D., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge

Daniel L. Hovland on a charge of assaulting and resisting a federal officer. Gange pleaded guilty to the charge on Jan. 12.

Hovland sentenced Gange to serve three years and five months in federal

prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Gange was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Crime Victim's Fund.

On Aug. 14, 2010, an agent with the U.S. Customs & Border Patrol was

assigned to assist local law enforcement officers in Ward County, N.D., because of the Minot flood event. The agent along with Minot Police Department officers received a call regarding a reckless driver. Upon arriving in the area, the officers located an unoccupied vehicle with the engine running. The officers began to search for the driver of the vehicle, and were directed to a nearby area by a resident who had observed the driver run off. The officers located Gange walking along a row of bushes and made contact with him. Gange’s hands and face were full of blood, and he smelled of alcoholic beverages, authorities said. When the officers attempted to question Gange, he fled on foot. The agent

was one of the officers involved in the pursuit of Gange. When the officers caught Gange, he resisted their efforts to detain him. Gange punched the agent in the face and head multiple times, authorities said. The officers took Gange to the ground. In the process, the agent

suffered a severe injury to his lower back requiring hospitalization and rehabilitation.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Volk prosecuted the case.

Tags: news, updates, crime, assault