Kyle Man Charged With Possession Of Firearms By A Prohibited Person

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Kyle, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Possession of Firearms by a Prohibited Person.

Gerald Baker, age 29, was indicted on September 23, 2014.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on January 8, 2015, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is 10 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered.

The charge relates to Baker being in possession of a firearm on June 9, 2014, at Kyle, when he knew he was prohibited from doing so because of a previous domestic violence conviction.

The charge is merely an accusation and Baker is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services, Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Patterson is prosecuting the case.

Baker was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial.  A trial date has been set for March 17, 2015.