Department of Justice
For Immediate Release
Rapid City Man Charged With Illegal Possession of Firearm
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a Rapid City, South Dakota, man for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
Cory Debruyckere, age 31, was indicted in January of 2023. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on January 27, 2023, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
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.
The charge stems from Debruyckere knowingly possessing a semi-automatic pistol in Rapid City in March of 2022. Debruyckere has two prior felony convictions and, as a result, cannot legally possess firearms.
The charge is merely an accusation and Debruyckere is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Sazama is prosecuting the case.
Debruyckere was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has been set for April 4, 2023.