Rapid City Men Caged in Gun Theft, Sale Case

Two Rapid City men are headed to federal prison after being convicted of trafficking in stolen guns — a crime that put deadly weapons back on the streets of South Dakota’s second-largest city. Daniel Joseph Newingham, 42, and Joseph Huddleston, 43, were sentenced last week on federal firearm charges tied to the theft and resale of two handguns, including a Smith and Wesson .38 revolver and a stolen Glock 9mm pistol.

Newingham, a felon legally barred from possessing firearms, stole the .38 caliber revolver and kept it in his possession — a direct violation of federal law. Huddleston, meanwhile, was caught with the stolen Glock and admitted to selling it, further fueling the underground gun market that feeds violent crime across the region. Both men were charged on June 21, 2016, after a joint investigation revealed their roles in the illegal arms trade.

On February 10, 2017, Newingham was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court. He will serve an additional 3 years under court supervision and must pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Just three days later, on February 13, Huddleston was handed a 16-month sentence, also followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $100 to the same fund.

The case was aggressively pursued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) and the Rapid City Police Department, agencies that have intensified collaboration in recent years to crack down on illegal gun trafficking. Investigators say even small-time firearm deals like this one pose serious threats to public safety, especially when weapons are stolen and resold without background checks.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Patterson prosecuted the case, emphasizing that federal law comes down hard on prohibited persons who handle firearms — whether by theft, purchase, or resale. “These aren’t victimless crimes,” Patterson said in court. “Every stolen gun is a potential homicide waiting to happen.”

Following sentencing, both Daniel Joseph Newingham and Joseph Huddleston were immediately taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service. They will serve their time in the federal prison system, their names now stamped in the ledger of those who broke one of the law’s clearest lines: keep guns out of the hands of those who shouldn’t have them.