St. Francis Man Charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person

United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a St. Francis, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.

Justin Eagle Pipe, age 38, was indicted on April 12, 2022.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on May 23, 2022, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, followed by three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered.

The Indictment alleges that on January 1, 2022, in Todd County, South Dakota, Eagle Pipe, who had previously been convicted of crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year, and being an unlawful user of a controlled substance, knowingly possessed a firearm, which had been previously shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce.

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 charge is merely an accusation and Eagle Pipe is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. 

The investigation is being conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges is prosecuting the case.   

Eagle Pipe was released on bond pending trial.  A trial date has not been set.