Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Prohibited Person was sentenced on August 18, 2022, by Judge Karen E. Schreier, U.S. District Court.

Cameron Hart, age 28, was sentenced to three years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Hart was indicted by a federal grand jury in March of 2022 and pleaded guilty in May 2022. The conviction stems from Hart, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, knowingly possessing a Taurus, Model PT 1911, .45 caliber, semi-automatic pistol and 2 rounds of .40 caliber Federal ammunition, which was found after Hart came into contact with law enforcement in February 2022.

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 was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.

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