Sioux Falls Man Charged in Federal Court with Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person

SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that a man from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. 

Israel Estrada, age 29, was indicted on May 2, 2023. He made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on June 20, 2023, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment. 

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 15 years in custody, and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution and forfeiture may also be ordered.

According to the Indictment, on March 3, 2023, Estrada possessed a firearm, after having been convicted of a felony. The firearm had been previously shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce. 

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

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. 

The investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri is prosecuting the case.

Estrada was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending further proceedings and trial. A trial date of August 29, 2023, has been set.