David Edward Petersdorf, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, South Dakota 2020

David Edward Petersdorf, a 51-year-old man from Mitchell, South Dakota, was sentenced to 3 years of probation for Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Petersdorf was convicted of the crime and sentenced on August 31, 2020, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier in the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota.

Petersdorf was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 6, 2019, and pled guilty on June 8, 2020. The conviction stemmed from an incident on May 7, 2019, when Petersdorf allowed law enforcement officers to search his residence. During the search, Petersdorf advised the officers that they would find a Springfield Armory, Model XD-9 Sub-Compact, 9mm handgun, which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.

Petersdorf's prior conviction of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year made him ineligible to possess any firearms. Despite this, Petersdorf knowingly allowed the firearm to be present in his residence. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and making communities safer.

The case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice's initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Project Guardian enhances coordination between federal, state, local, and tribal authorities to investigate and prosecute gun crimes.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Nash prosecuted the case.

Petersdorf was sentenced to 3 years of probation and was ordered to pay a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of enforcing federal firearms laws and preventing convicted felons from possessing firearms.

For more information about Project Guardian, please visit https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.

David Edward Petersdorf, a 51-year-old man from Mitchell, South Dakota, was sentenced to 3 years of probation for Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Petersdorf's prior conviction of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year made him ineligible to possess any firearms.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/pr/mitchell-man-sentenced-being-felon-possession-firearm