Rapid City Felon Bettelyoun Sentenced for Firearm Possession

United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell dropped the hammer on Sabione Bettelyoun, a 38-year-old Rapid City woman, announcing a three-year and one-month federal prison sentence for Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Prohibited Person.

Bettelyoun’s sentence was handed down by U.S. Circuit Judge Jonathan A. Kobes on January 31, 2023. The convicted felon must also serve three years of supervised release after her prison term and pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

The saga began in March 2022 when a federal grand jury indicted Bettelyoun for illegal firearm possession. She pleaded guilty on October 14, 2022.

Law enforcement officials stumbled upon Bettelyoun’s arsenal during a February 2022 encounter in Rapid City. They found a SCCY CPX-1 semi-automatic pistol, .22 Long Rifle and 9mm Luger ammunition, as well as methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence, and enhancing community safety. The program was bolstered on May 26, 2021, with a strategy focused on fostering trust in communities, supporting prevention efforts, strategic law enforcement, and measuring outcomes.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Rapid City Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted it, ensuring that justice was served for this dangerous individual who threatened community safety.

Bettelyoun has been remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until she begins her sentence.

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