Esmeralda Stands, Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, South Dakota 2020

A Rapid City woman has been sentenced for her role in a firearm-related crime. Esmeralda Stands, age 38, was convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The crime occurred on January 2019 at Rapid City, South Dakota.

The charge related to Stands being in possession of a stolen .45 caliber revolver. The firearm was found after Stands came into contact with a Rapid City police officer in January 2019.

On January 6, 2020, United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that Stands was sentenced by Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court Judge. Stands was sentenced to time served and 3 years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and $972.37 in restitution.

The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and making neighborhoods safer. PSN was reinvigorated by the Department of Justice in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals.

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Project Guardian was initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/pr/rapid-city-woman-sentenced-firearm-charge-0