Isanti man pleads guilty to stealing firearms

Federal prosecutors say an Isanti man has pleaded guilty to stealing multiple firearms from shipments headed to businesses.

According to prosecutors, Jason Cikotte has pleaded to one count of theft of firearms. As previously reported, he had also been indicted with possession of stolen firearms.

In a plea agreement filed Wednesday, it states that in exchange for pleading guilty to theft of firearms, the charge of possessing stolen firearms would be dismissed at sentencing, which is currently scheduled for Nov. 17.

Reports of thefts from shipments to businesses that have federal firearms licenses were made to law enforcement starting in August of 2021.

XPO Logistics, which was the carrier for the firearms shipments, contacted the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to report nearly a dozen firearms were stolen from a shipment that happened in March of 2022.

ATF agents then found a video showing Cikotte removing firearms from pallets while working as a weight inspector at the company.

Law enforcement then searched his home and found the 11 stolen firearms, as well as other guns and accessories, with a total number of 195 items.