APRIL 2022:
A Rapid City man convicted of Possession of a Stolen Firearm was sentenced in U.S. District Court.
20 year old Huya Smoke must spend 37 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.
The conviction stems from Smoke knowingly being in possession of a stolen 9mm semi-automatic pistol in Rapid City in April 2021. At the time, Smoke was also under indictment in Meade County, South Dakota.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, 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 was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department.
Smoke was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
SEPTEMBER 2021:
A 19 year old man from Rapid City has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Possession of a Stolen Firearm and Receipt of a Firearm While Under Indictment.
Huya Smoke pled not guilty.
The charge stems from Smoke knowingly being in possession of a stolen 9mm semi-automatic pistol in Rapid City in April 2021. At the time, Smoke was also under indictment in Meade County.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, 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 the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson is prosecuting the case.
Smoke was detained pending trial.
