Rapid City Man Indicted On Firearm Charges

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

Patrick Harding, age 57, was indicted on November 19, 2014. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica Duffy on January 12, 2015, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.  

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

The Indictment charges that in August 2014, at Rapid City, Harding, who is prohibited from possessing firearms, was in possession of a stolen Glock pistol.

The charges are merely accusations and Harding is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Patterson is prosecuting the case.   Harding was detained pending trial.   A trial date has not been set.