Dennis Eugene Cockerham, Firearms Charges, South Dakota 2018
A 46-year-old Sioux Falls man has been sentenced to 55 months in custody for his role in a firearms case.
Dennis Eugene Cockerham was convicted of Possession of Firearms by a Prohibited Person and Possession of a Stolen Firearm, according to a recent press release from the United States Attorney's Office.
In July 2017, a federal grand jury indicted Cockerham on charges of possession of firearms by prohibited person, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, and possession of a stolen firearm.
On February 21, 2018, Cockerham pleaded guilty to the charges. He was subsequently sentenced to 55 months in custody, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $200 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, and to forfeit property.
According to the investigation, on August 25, 2016, members of the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force pulled Cockerham over in his vehicle and found a loaded pistol under the driver's seat and glass pipes in Cockerham’s pocket and another in his vehicle. Both field-tested positive for meth.
A subsequent search of Cockerham’s residence led police to find another handgun, along with drug paraphernalia. Cockerham later admitted being in possession of a stolen gun on October 16, 2016.
The stolen gun was one of many that had been stolen during the burglary of a Larchwood residence in June 2016.
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department, the Osceola County, Iowa, Sheriff's Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Clapper prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Cockerham was ordered to report to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons in June.
Mandatory Facts:
- Defendant: Dennis Eugene Cockerham
- Criminal Charges: Possession of Firearms by a Prohibited Person and Possession of a Stolen Firearm
- City and State: Sioux Falls, South Dakota
- Date: May 9, 2018
- Sentence: 55 months in custody, followed by 3 years of supervised release
- Dollar Amounts: $200 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund
Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/pr/sioux-falls-man-sentenced-55-months-firearms-charges