BLACK HAWK, SD – Gregory Martin, 35, of Black Hawk, South Dakota, is headed to federal prison after receiving a six-year sentence on both counts of Distribution of a Controlled Substance and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken handed down the sentence on April 7, 2023, adding five years of supervised release and a $200 assessment for the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The case, brought by a federal grand jury in March 2022, stemmed from Martin’s activities in November 2021, when he knowingly peddled methamphetamine in Box Elder and Black Hawk. The bust wasn’t limited to narcotics. A December 2021 raid on a residence where Martin was staying uncovered several firearms, including a particularly problematic Mossberg 12-gauge pump-action shotgun.
The shotgun, authorities determined, had a barrel length of less than 18 inches – a clear violation of federal regulations. Crucially, it wasn’t registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, meaning Martin possessed an illegal short-barreled shotgun without the required paperwork. This wasn’t a simple oversight; it’s a serious federal offense.
Prosecutors, led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson, successfully argued that Martin’s actions posed a clear danger to the community. The investigation was a joint effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Mellette County Sheriff’s Office. They built a solid case demonstrating Martin’s involvement in both drug trafficking and illegal firearm possession.
The sentencing is being touted as a win for Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a Department of Justice program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence. PSN, recently bolstered with a new strategy focusing on community trust, targeted enforcement, and measurable results, seeks to reclaim neighborhoods from the grip of criminal activity. Officials say this case exemplifies the program’s goals.
Martin was immediately taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service and will begin serving his concurrent six-year sentence. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the ongoing efforts to dismantle drug and gun networks operating in South Dakota. This conviction sends a message: dealing drugs and illegally modifying firearms will not be tolerated.
Related Federal Cases
- Smokey James Jandreau, Meth Distribution, SD 2016 · South Dakota
- Kelly Moore, Conspiracy to Distribute Meth, SD 2016 · Utah
- Charlie Warren Marshall, Meth Distribution, SD 2016 · South Dakota
- Tyson Curtis LeCompte, Meth Distribution and Escape, SD 2017 · South Dakota
- Wacey James Long, Possession of Unregistered Firearm, SD 2023 · Kansas
Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Weapons|Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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