VIDALIA — Former Vidalia Police Chief Ronnie G. “Tapper” Hendricks pleaded guilty Thursday to making false statements to federal law enforcement agents during the course of an investigation into the distribution of certain firearms at the Vidalia Police Department.

Hendricks made the plea in federal court in Alexandria, La., before U.S. District Judge Dee Drell.

A news release from the Department of Justice says agents from the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were investigating whether or not Hendricks had transferred a fully-automatic machine gun owned by the VPD to the custody of the Rifle Point Hunting Club in Ferriday.

The agents also investigated whether Hendricks removed firearms from the department’s evidence room and gave them to friends and acquaintances as gifts.

Agents interviewed Hendricks in February.

Hendricks was charged with making three false statements, which include:

4 The denial of transferring the machine gun, a military-issue M16A assault rifle, when he had, in fact, given the gun to the hunting club for use by its members and guests.

4 Falsely claiming that one of the individuals in possession of the VPD gun was a reserve police officer whom Hendricks had sworn in at an unofficial ceremony to which there were no witnesses. There was no ceremony.

4Falsely claiming that the individual he claimed to have sworn in as a reserve officer signed an oath of office form prior to receiving the gun.

In May, the VPD station was restricted as FBI and ATF agents searched the building and cars.

On Nov. 1, Hendricks resigned from his position as chief of police shortly after the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed charges against him.

Arthur Lewis was named acting police chief after Hendricks resigned.

Lewis was serving as assistant police chief.

Jim Boren was promoted to assistant police chief.

Hendricks faces felony charges, with a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.

Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 25.