Sioux Falls Felon Levi Shanteau Sentenced for Gun Possession

Levi Shanteau, 25, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, received a 21-month federal prison sentence plus three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The sentencing took place on August 25, 2020, before U.S. District Judge Lawrence L. Piersol.

Shanteau’s crime spree began when police responded to an escalating situation in Sioux Falls on January 30, 2020. As officers arrived, Shanteau fled the scene with a loaded handgun hidden in his pants. At the time of the incident, Shanteau was on probation for a 2018 felony drug conviction, which explicitly prohibited him from possessing firearms.

The sentence also includes a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Shanteau was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 3, 2020, and pleaded guilty on June 10, 2020.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which brings together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime. Reinvigorated in 2017, PSN targets violent criminals, with the Department of Justice directing U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with local authorities to develop effective strategies for community safety.

Additionally, this case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Launched in 2019, Project Guardian coordinates efforts between federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement to investigate and prosecute gun crimes.

The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case, resulting in Shanteau’s immediate transfer to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.