Mason Hamm, Unregistered Firearm Possession, South Dakota 2016

A Rapid City man has been indicted for possessing an unregistered firearm, putting him at risk of a lengthy prison sentence and hefty fine.

Mason Hamm, 20, was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 20, 2016, for Possession of an Unregistered Firearm, a charge that carries a penalty of up to 10 years of imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.

The charge relates to Hamm unlawfully possessing a firearm suppressor, also known as a silencer, in Rapid City, South Dakota.

Hamm appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on January 20, 2017, and pleaded not guilty to the charge. He was released pending trial.

The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Patterson is prosecuting the case.

A trial date has not been set for Hamm, who is presumed innocent until proven guilty. His current status is pending trial.

The charge is merely an accusation, and Hamm's guilt has not been proven in court. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks are continuing their investigation.

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