Rapid City Man Sentenced on Firearm Charge

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on May 17, 2024.

Vance Hayes, 34, was sentenced to three years and five months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Hayes was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in May of 2023. He pleaded guilty on March 11, 2024.

Hayes was arrested in March of 2023 after being pulled over in Rapid City for a traffic violation.  During the traffic stop, officers learned Hayes was in possession of a stolen firearm. Hayes is a convicted felon and was on federal supervised release at the time. Hayes was aware of his status as a convicted felon and was also aware he was prohibited from possessing firearms.

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 gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.

Hayes was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.