Lawrence County Man Sentenced for Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm

United States Attorney Ronald A. Parsons, Jr. announced that a Lead, South Dakota, man convicted of Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm was sentenced on May 15, 2018, by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.

AJ Bradshaw, age 31, was sentenced to 96 months in custody, followed by 3 years of supervised release and $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Bradshaw was indicted for Possession of Unregistered Firearms, Prohibited Person in Possession of Firearm, Prohibited Possession of Explosives, and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury on September 12, 2017.  He pled guilty to Count II on January 5, 2018.

On August 26, 2017, the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle operated by Bradshaw.  Inside the vehicle, law enforcement found numerous firearms, methamphetamine, marijuana,  $12,400 cash, and other drug paraphernalia.  Law enforcement further searched the defendant’s residence and seized additional firearms, drugs and drug paraphernalia.  A total of 41 firearms were seized. 

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Taskforce, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigations, Rapid City Police Department, Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, and Butte County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.

Bradshaw was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.   Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.