Boru Guye Wako, Jr., a 39-year-old man from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was convicted of two firearm charges in federal district court.
A jury found Wako guilty of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and Illegal Receipt of a Firearm by a Person Under Indictment following a two-day trial.
The charges stem from an incident on March 8, 2023, when Sioux Falls Police Department detectives attempted to stop a stolen vehicle.
Wako, who was the driver, eluded law enforcement and was later apprehended after a second vehicle was stolen.
During the search of the first stolen vehicle, detectives discovered a Ruger LCP .380 handgun, which had been reported stolen just days earlier.
Forensic analysis revealed Wako’s DNA on the barrel of the firearm, establishing that he had possessed it.
As a prior convicted felon, Wako is prohibited from possessing firearms, and at the time of the incident, he was also under indictment for two other separate felonies.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Sioux Falls Police Department.
Boro Guye Wako, Jr. faces a maximum penalty of up to 15 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine for the Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person charge.
He also faces up to 5 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine for the Illegal Receipt of a Firearm by a Person Under Indictment charge.
A presentence investigation was ordered, and a sentencing date has been set for September 22, 2025.
The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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