Patrick Medearis, Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm, South Dakota 2022

MISSION, SOUTH DAKOTA - In a shocking turn of events, Patrick Medearis, 38, was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison for being a Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm. This conviction stems from an incident that occurred on April 22, 2020, in Todd County, South Dakota.

According to sources, law enforcement was searching for Medearis based on an alleged domestic violence incident that occurred the previous day wherein he was suspected of possessing a firearm. Medearis was located at a residence south of Mission and attempted to flee in a vehicle when law enforcement arrived. He was subsequently apprehended, and a .22 caliber long rifle and a 12-gauge shotgun were located in the passenger seat of the vehicle.

Medearis has three prior felony convictions, which make it illegal for him to possess firearms or ammunition. These convictions include Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess With Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance in U.S. District Court in 2006, Child Abuse and Neglect in U.S. District Court in 2010, and Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer in U.S. District Court in 2017.

On January 20, 2022, Medearis was convicted following a three-day jury trial in Pierre, South Dakota. He was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 16, 2020. The case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.

Medearis was sentenced on April 11, 2022, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court. As part of his sentence, he will forfeit ownership of the firearms to the United States. He will also serve three years of supervised release and pay a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the violent crime reduction efforts. PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Medearis was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. This case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of firearm possession by prohibited individuals and the importance of holding offenders accountable for their actions.

Defendant Information:

Defendant Name: Patrick Medearis

Crime: Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm

City and State: Mission, South Dakota

Arrest Date: April 22, 2020

Sentence: 96 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100

Dollar Amount: $100

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/pr/mission-man-sentenced-illegally-possessing-firearms