Sioux Falls Fugitive Wako Gets 7 Years for Gun Possession

SIOUX FALLS, SD – Boru Guye Wako, Jr., 39, of Sioux Falls is headed to federal prison for seven years after being convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and Illegal Receipt of a Firearm by a Person Under Indictment. U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier handed down the sentence on September 15, 2025, adding three years of supervised release and a $200 penalty to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. This isn’t Wako’s first dance with the law; his history of eluding local police clearly didn’t deter him.

The case began unraveling on March 8, 2023, when the Sioux Falls Police Department flagged a stolen vehicle, reportedly driven by Wako. When detectives from the Violent Crime Unit attempted a routine traffic stop, Wako allegedly floored it, leading them on a chase through a residential neighborhood. He ditched the stolen car in an alley, then took off running, hijacking a second vehicle to make his escape. Detectives weren’t buying it.

A search of the first abandoned vehicle yielded a firearm tucked into the driver’s side door. Forensic analysis later confirmed Wako’s DNA was all over it. Considering his prior felony conviction and the fact he was already under indictment for another felony at the time, Wako was illegally in possession of the weapon. A federal grand jury indicted him in November 2023, and a two-day jury trial concluded on July 1, 2025, with a guilty verdict.

U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell didn’t mince words. “This case is the result of powerful partnerships between local and federal law enforcement,” she stated. “For nearly three years now, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has worked with the Sioux Falls Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to charge local violent offenders with federal firearm offenses whenever possible. Through federal prosecution, we have been removing violent offenders from the streets of Sioux Falls for significant periods of time, interrupting violence and keeping our community safe.”

The investigation was a coordinated effort between the Sioux Falls Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen and U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell led the prosecution. Wako was immediately taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service to begin serving his seven-year sentence. This is a clear message: running from the law – and possessing firearms illegally – carries serious consequences.

The Grimy Times will continue to monitor federal cases in South Dakota and bring you the unvarnished truth about crime and justice. We’ll be watching to see if this sentence is enough to keep Wako off the streets and out of trouble, or if he’ll be back to his old tricks when he eventually gets out.