Rosebud Man Sentenced to Over 2 Years for Brazen AR-15 Theft Caught on Camera

Jeremiah Picotte, 24, of Rosebud, South Dakota, has been sentenced to just over two years for the theft and transportation of a stolen AR-15Photo bynebraska.tv

By Kristy Tallman, June 29, 2024

PIERRE, SD - Jeremiah Picotte, a 24-year-old resident of Rosebud, South Dakota, has been sentenced for the transportation of a stolen firearm, according to U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange of the U.S. District Court sentenced Picotte on June 24, 2024.

Picotte received a sentence of approximately five months in federal detention and three months of home confinement, followed by two years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

The charges stemmed from an incident on December 13, 2023, when Picotte visited Tooth and Whisker's Outdoors/Wright's Bait Shop in Valentine, Nebraska. Surveillance footage captured Picotte taking an AR-15 rifle from a display area, concealing it down his pant leg, and leaving the store. The store's owner reported the theft to the Valentine Police Department, which posted the surveillance photo to identify the suspect. Responses identified Picotte as the thief.

Later that evening, the Rosebud Police Department contacted Valentine Police, reporting they had recovered the stolen AR-15, though its Barrage scope was missing. Picotte was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024 and pleaded guilty on March 28, 2024.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that unites all levels of law enforcement and communities to reduce violent crime and gun violence. The program focuses on fostering community trust, supporting violence prevention organizations, prioritizing strategic enforcement, and measuring outcomes.

The investigation involved the Valentine Police Department, Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Maher prosecuted the case. Picotte was immediately taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service to begin serving his sentence.

By Kristy Tallman, June 29, 2024

The Republic News

Source: U.S. Attorney's Office, District of South Dakota

If you have a news story you'd like shared, email kristyznews@gmail.com.

#Crime #Firearms #LawEnforcement #ProjectSafeNeighborhoods #GunViolence #PublicSafety #SouthDakota #Nebraska #FederalCourt #USMarshalsService