Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Nearly 6 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person

SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.  The sentencing took place on October 27, 2025.

James Jenkins, 35, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Jenkins was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in April 2025.  He pleaded guilty on July 21, 2025.

The case arose on March 18, 2025, when Jenkins was involved in an incident with the Mitchell Police Department, during which officers conducted a search of his backpack, discovering a 9mm pistol.  At that time, Jenkins knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms because he was previously convicted of a felony offense in Arizona.

This case was investigated by ATF, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation and the Mitchell Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.

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

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.