Rapid City Man Acquitted on Firearm Charge

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a man from Rapid City, South Dakota, was acquitted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm following a federal jury trial in Rapid City, South Dakota, on January 14, 2026.

Christian Kelly, age 32, was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2025.

The charges related to an incident in Rapid City, South Dakota, during which Kelly was alleged to have been seen waving around an illegally modified rifle and hiding it under a vehicle once law enforcement arrived.

The investigation was conducted by the ATF and the Rapid City Police Department.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.