Rosebud Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing a “Sawed-Off” Shotgun (DOJ)

PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Rosebud, South Dakota man convicted of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm. The sentencing took place on June 22, 2026.

Theodore Running Bear III, age 29, was sentenced to one year and six 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.

Running Bear was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 23, 2026.

The conviction stemmed from conduct that occurred in June 2025 within the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. On June 11, 2025, Running Bear was arrested by Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement in connection with an alleged assault that occurred earlier that month. At the time of his arrest, Running Bear was in possession of a short ("sawed-off") shotgun. The short shotgun was not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Running Bear will forfeit ownership of the firearm to the United States.

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.

This case was investigated by Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.

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