Andrew Cortes, Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, South Dakota 2025

State: South Dakota
Category: Violent Crime
Source: <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/pr/rapid-city-man-sentenced-federal-prison-firearm-charge-2" style="color:#cc0000;" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">DOJ Press Release ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Â Ã¢â‚¬â€

RAPID CITY – A Rapid City man has been sentenced to federal prison for possessing a firearm despite being a convicted felon.

Andrew Cortes, 30, was sentenced to two years and three months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Cortes was convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person after a federal grand jury indicted him in February 2025. He pleaded guilty on May 23, 2025.

The case against Cortes began on December 12, 2024, when Rapid City police officers initiated a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Cortes was a passenger. Cortes fled the scene, but law enforcement pursued him on foot and apprehended him. During the pursuit, Cortes had a pistol in his possession, which dropped from him when he was apprehended.

Cortes’ prior felony conviction made it a federal felony offense for him to possess a firearm. He was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following his sentencing on August 7, 2025.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case as part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative to combat violent crime and protect communities.

Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

Related Federal Cases