RAPID CITY, SD – Ryan Reausaw, 39, of Rapid City, is headed to federal prison after being sentenced Monday for possessing a dangerous and illegal weapon. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken handed down a five-year sentence, followed by three years of supervised release. Reausaw was also ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The case stems from an August 2021 encounter with law enforcement. Cops discovered Reausaw illegally holding a Remington Arms 12-gauge shotgun with a barrel length of less than 18 inches – a clear violation of federal law requiring registration with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Reausaw never registered the weapon.
A federal grand jury indicted Reausaw in November 2021 on the charge of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm. He initially fought the charges but ultimately pleaded guilty on May 12, 2023. The quick plea likely saved him from a longer sentence, but five years is still a hefty penalty for a gun charge in South Dakota.
Federal authorities are framing the prosecution as a win for Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a broad initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence. The Department of Justice launched a strengthened PSN strategy in May 2021, focusing on community trust, violence prevention programs, strategic enforcement, and measurable results. This case is a direct result of that strategy, officials claim.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) led the investigation, with significant assistance from the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case, securing the conviction and subsequent sentencing. Sources say the ATF has been quietly building cases against individuals possessing illegal firearms in the region.
Reausaw was immediately taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service to begin serving his five-year sentence. The feds are sending a message: possessing illegal firearms will result in serious federal time. This conviction underscores the ATF’s commitment to enforcing federal gun laws and keeping dangerous weapons off the streets of Rapid City and beyond.
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