Mission, South Dakota Man Sentenced for Firearm Possession by a Prohibited Person

PIERRE — U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that Tevin Thin Elk Sr., a 27-year-old resident of Mission, South Dakota, was sentenced on August 28, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.

Thin Elk was sentenced to time served through September 25, 2024, totaling approximately 16 months in custody, followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and to forfeit the firearm involved in the offense.

The conviction stems from an August 19, 2022, traffic stop in Mission, located within the Rosebud Indian Reservation. During the stop, a drug-sniffing K9 alerted officers to the vehicle, prompting a search. Officers discovered marijuana, a methamphetamine pipe, and an extended magazine on Thin Elk's person, along with a Glock pistol in the vehicle's backseat. Thin Elk admitted that the firearm was his and acknowledged being a regular user of marijuana and methamphetamine. A subsequent urine analysis confirmed the presence of both substances.

Thin Elk was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2023 and pleaded guilty to the charges on May 30, 2024.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence. Launched on May 26, 2021, the Department of Justice's strengthened violent crime reduction strategy under PSN focuses on fostering trust within communities, supporting community-based violence prevention, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes to ensure safer neighborhoods for all.

Hand of a Person Holding Black Semi Automatic PistolPhoto byKarolina Kaboompics