RAPID CITY, SD – Jonah Burning Breast, 29, of Rapid City is headed to federal prison after being sentenced for illegally possessing a shotgun, the Department of Justice announced Thursday. U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier handed down a four-year sentence on October 24th, followed by three years of supervised release.
Burning Breast, a previously convicted felon, was found with a O.F. Mossberg & Sons Incorporated 12-gauge, pump-action shotgun in January of this year. Federal law prohibits anyone with a prior felony conviction from owning or possessing firearms. A federal grand jury indicted Burning Breast in February, and he pleaded guilty on August 4th.
Beyond the prison term, Burning Breast was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. The case was a joint effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox led the prosecution.
U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell framed the sentencing as part of “Project Safe Neighborhoods” (PSN), a federal program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence. The Department of Justice launched a renewed focus on PSN in May 2021, emphasizing community trust, prevention programs, and strategic enforcement.
The feds are touting PSN as a solution, but for residents of Rapid City, another gun-toting felon off the streets is a small win in a larger struggle. Burning Breast was immediately taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service to begin serving his sentence. Sources close to the investigation say the shotgun was recovered during a routine traffic stop.
While authorities celebrate this conviction, the question remains: how many more prohibited individuals are illegally armed in South Dakota? The ATF and Rapid City PD have yet to release details about the source of the firearm, or whether Burning Breast had any known connections to other criminal activity. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this story and expose the underbelly of federal crime.
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