Mason Means, Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, South Dakota 2021

Mitchell Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Firearm Possession

A Mitchell, South Dakota, man has been sentenced to federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm. Mason Means, age 23, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Means was convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, a charge stemming from his illegal possession of a Cobra, model CA-380, .380 caliber, semi-automatic pistol. The firearm was found after Means came into contact with law enforcement in March 2021 in Pine Ridge.

Means was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 21, 2021, and pleaded guilty on December 3, 2021. The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the government’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.

Means was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. This case serves as a reminder of the importance of enforcing laws related to firearm possession and the consequences of violating these laws.

The government’s violent crime reduction efforts continue to focus on the most violent offenders and partner with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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