United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person was sentenced on Aug. 29, 2022, by Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Travis Spotted Wolf, age 30, was sentenced to six years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Spotted Wolf was indicted by a federal grand jury in December of 2021 and pleaded guilty in April 2022. The conviction stems from Spotted Wolf, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, knowingly possessing a Taurus, model PT111 Millennium Pro G2, 9mm caliber, semi-automatic pistol, which was found after Spotted Wolf came into contact with law enforcement in August of 2021.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Spotted Wolf was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.