Knel-Philip Chery, Illegal Possession of Firearm, South Dakota 2019

Knel-Philip Chery, a 38-year-old Rapid City man, has been charged with illegal possession of a firearm, a federal crime that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

According to a press release from the United States Attorney's Office, Chery was charged on December 17, 2019, with possessing a Smith & Wesson 9mm semi-automatic pistol in Rapid City in October 2019. The charge is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program aimed at reducing violent crime in local communities.

Chery, a previously convicted felon, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on January 22, 2020, and pleaded not guilty to the charge. He is currently detained pending trial, with a trial date yet to be set.

The investigation into Chery's case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuting the case.

Project Safe Neighborhoods is a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. The program was reinvigorated by the U.S. Attorney's Office in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals.

Chery's case is also part of Project Guardian, the U.S. Attorney's signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the U.S. Attorney's past successful programs to reduce gun violence and enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes.

Chery faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered as part of his sentence.

The charge against Chery is merely an accusation, and he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. A trial date has not been set, and Chery remains detained pending trial.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/pr/rapid-city-man-charged-illegal-possession-firearm