Rapid City Man Sentenced for Possession of Firearm and Ammunition by a Prohibited Person

United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person was sentenced on April 15, 2016, by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.

Clayton M. High Wolf, age 53, was sentenced to 92 months’ custody, 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

High Wolf was indicted for the charge on September 23, 2014.  High Wolf was convicted of the charge at the conclusion of a federal jury trial in Rapid City in January 2015.

The conviction stems from High Wolf knowingly being in possession of a Smith & Wesson .22 caliber pistol and Remington .22 caliber ammunition when he was stopped by Rapid City police officers on North LaCrosse Street on July 17, 2014.  High Wolf previously had been convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance in 1996, and of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance in 2008.  Based on those felony convictions, High Wolf was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.

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

High Wolf was immediately detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.