⏱ 2 min read
Uelingatoni Pahulu, 32, a convicted felon from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, fired a gun in a parking lot on November 1, 2025, after getting into an altercation with another man. The incident occurred at a Shop N Cart on N. Minnesota Avenue. Pahulu, who had a previous felony conviction in California, is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm.
Pahulu pleaded guilty on June 1, 2026, and was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and forfeit the firearm and ammunition.
The case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department and is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative to reduce violent crime and protect communities from perpetrators.
Pahulu’s sentencing serves as a reminder of the consequences of possessing a firearm as a prohibited person. The Department of Justice and local law enforcement agencies are working together to reduce gun violence and make neighborhoods safer.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Violent Crime
- Defendant: South Dakota
- Location: SD
- Source: DOJ Press Release
