Walking Bull Faces Decade for Gun Possession

RAPID CITY, SD – Jaime Walking Bull, 38, of Rapid City, is facing serious federal charges after being accused of illegally possessing a firearm. The case, announced by United States Attorney Ron Parsons, highlights the continued crackdown on violent offenders in South Dakota.

Walking Bull was charged on May 21, 2019, with Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. Authorities allege he was found with a semi-automatic pistol in April 2019, despite a prior felony conviction that disqualifies him from owning a weapon. He pleaded not guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on June 6, 2019.

If convicted, Walking Bull could face a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, along with a hefty $250,000 fine. The sentence doesn’t stop there; he also faces up to 3 years of supervised release and a mandatory $100 payment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution could also be ordered by the court.

This case falls under the umbrella of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide initiative revived in 2017 by the Department of Justice. PSN aims to unite federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement with the communities they serve to aggressively tackle violent crime. The program emphasizes locally-tailored strategies to ensure effective results.

The investigation was a joint effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson is leading the prosecution. Walking Bull remains detained pending trial, with no trial date currently scheduled. He is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Grimy Times will continue to follow this case as it develops, bringing you the raw, unvarnished truth about crime in America. The streets of Rapid City, like many cities across the nation, are under constant pressure from those who disregard the law, and the pursuit of justice is far from over.