Grants Pass man pleads guilty to illegal possession of a firearm he stole in a burglary

Grants Pass man pleads guilty to illegal possession of a firearm he stole in a burglary

GRANTS PASS, Ore. — A Grants Pass man has pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a gun he stole during a burglary in Central Point, federal prosecutors said.

45-year-old Matthew Bertrand pleaded guilty on Thursday, Oct. 8, to being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon. Bertrand has five prior convictions for burglary and theft.

According to court documents, Central Point Police responded to a burglary in progress on Jan. 5, 2024, after a witness reported seeing a man wearing a black ski mask, a black jacket and blue jeans jump a fence and go inside a home. When officers arrived and spoke with the homeowner, they saw Bertrand flee through the back of the home. Police caught him after chasing him through multiple backyards. Bertrand had a black ski mask, and officers recovered the homeowner’s gun in the area where Bertrand ran.

Bradford said Bertrand admitted to “rob[bing] the house,” stealing the gun, and being in the victim’s house on a prior occasion because the owner had “lots of toys.”

A federal grand jury in Medford returned a two-count indictment on June 6, 2024, charging Bertrand with felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a stolen firearm. He is scheduled to be sentenced March 11, 2027, before U.S. District Court Judge Kasubhai.

Bertrand faces a maximum of life in prison with a mandatory minimum of 15 years’ imprisonment as an armed career criminal. He also faces a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 fee assessment.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Medford Police Department, and Central Point Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Judi Harper is prosecuting it.