Mississippi man sentenced to federal prison for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person (DOJ)

SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Starkville, Mississippi, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on October 5, 2026.

William Brooks, Jr., 24, was sentenced to one year and three 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.

Brooks was indicted for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person by a federal grand jury in October 2024. He pleaded guilty on July 13, 2026.

On August 1, 2024, Brooks was stopped by a South Dakota Highway Patrol Trooper while riding a motorcycle on I-90 toward the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. During the traffic stop, the trooper found a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson pistol on Brooks' person. Brooks is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a 2019 felony conviction in Mississippi for Possession of Methamphetamine.

This case was investigated by the South Dakota Highway Patrol and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.

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