Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Gun Possession and Meth Trafficking
Grimy Times has learned that Nikki Joshua James Coomes, a 30-year-old Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison on May 20, 2022, after being convicted of two separate charges of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and a third charge of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
According to the investigation, Coomes was found in possession of multiple firearms, including a 20-gauge pump-action shotgun, a 9 mm caliber pistol, two .22 caliber rifles, two 12-gauge shotguns, a .380 caliber pistol, and a .38 caliber derringer on September 15, 2021, at Pine Ridge.
Coomes, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, pleaded guilty to the Possession of Firearms charges on December 22, 2021. He was also found to be in possession of a firearm on December 5, 2020, at Pine Ridge.
In addition to the gun charges, Coomes pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance on April 26, 2022, for obtaining and distributing methamphetamine primarily from his residence on the Pine Ridge Reservation from approximately June 2018 through 2021.
Coomes was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for the Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance charge. He was also sentenced to serve 37 months in federal prison and 10 months in federal prison, concurrently, for the two Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person charges. Coomes was ordered to pay a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The firearms investigations were conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco, and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Sazama prosecuted the cases. The drug distribution case was investigated by the Badlands Safe Trails Task Force, which includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, South Dakota Department of Criminal Investigation, and the Martin, South Dakota, Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina S. Nelson prosecuted the case.
Coomes was turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service immediately following the pronouncement of his sentences.
Pine Ridge, South Dakota, is a small community on the Pine Ridge Reservation, where Coomes was found to have been distributing methamphetamine from his residence. The investigation and subsequent sentencing highlight the ongoing problem of substance abuse and gun violence in the region.
Coomes’ sentencing serves as a reminder of the consequences of breaking the law and the importance of law enforcement’s efforts to combat crime and keep communities safe.
Mandatory Facts: Defendant: Nikki Joshua James Coomes; Charges: Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance; City and State: Pine Ridge, South Dakota; Date: May 20, 2022; Sentence: 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
Related Federal Cases
- Reymundo Sauceda, Methamphetamine Trafficking, South Dakota 2019 · South Dakota
- Brent Wayne Vostad, Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, South Dakota 2021 · South Dakota
- James Garrett, Crop Insurance Fraud, South Dakota 2024 · South Dakota
- Brian Jackson, Drug Trafficking, South Dakota 2023 · South Dakota
- Jeremy Morris, Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, South Dakota 2022 · Washington
Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News