Pine Ridge Man Indicted For Possession Of Firearm By A Prohibited Person

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

Jonathan Lee Twiss, age 30, was indicted on August 26, 2014.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on September 5, 2014, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is ten 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 Twiss knowingly possessing a .45 caliber pistol on March 20, 2014, near Pine Ridge, after having been convicted of one or more crimes punishable by imprisonment for more than one year.

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

The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Kelderman is prosecuting the case.

Twiss was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial.  A trial date has been set for November 4, 2014.