SPOKANE, WA – A Graham man has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison for firearm possession following a traffic stop in Airway Heights. 41-year-old Nicholas J. Kloepfel was sentenced on February 19th, by United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice. He will also serve three years of supervised release.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington, Kloepfel was identified by Airway Heights police on January 20, 2024, at a local hotel. Officers confirmed he had an active arrest warrant for multiple violations of his federal supervised release, stemming from a previous 190-month sentence for firearm and drug trafficking offenses. Officers conducted a traffic stop nearby and took Kloepfel into custody.

A state search warrant for Kloepfel’s vehicle led investigators to find three loaded handguns, ammunition, a fake silencer, a small quantity of drugs, and drug paraphernalia. Kloepfel, as a convicted felon, was prohibited from possessing firearms.

During sentencing, Kloepfel claimed that his possession of firearms and drugs was linked to post-traumatic stress disorder caused by prior incarceration and his status as a gang dropout. Acting U.S. Attorney Richard Barker dismissed the comparison Kloepfel made to Vietnam veterans, calling it “offensive.”

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) acknowledged its partnership with the Kalispel Tribe and its role in the investigation. BIA-DDE Deputy Associate Director Tom Atkinson stated that the case highlighted the importance of addressing crimes connected to tribal lands and ensuring public safety.

The investigation involved the FBI, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Kalispel Tribal Police, and Airway Heights Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Van Marter prosecuted the case.