Alison J. Ramsdell U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota
Alison J. Ramsdell U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota
A federal jury in Sioux Falls has found Boru Guye Wako, Jr., 39, guilty of two firearm-related charges. The United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced the conviction on July 1, 2025, following a two-day trial in federal district court.
Wako was convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and Illegal Receipt of a Firearm by a Person Under Indictment. The first charge carries a potential penalty of up to 15 years in custody, a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. The second charge could result in up to five years in custody, a similar fine and special assessment, and two years of supervised release.
The case originated from an incident on March 8, 2023. Sioux Falls Police Department detectives attempted to stop a stolen vehicle driven by Wako. After eluding law enforcement and stealing another vehicle to escape on foot, Wako was later identified and apprehended based on prior encounters with police.
Upon searching the first stolen vehicle that Wako abandoned, detectives discovered a Ruger LCP .380 handgun reported stolen days earlier. Forensic analysis confirmed Wako's DNA on the gun's barrel. As a convicted felon under indictment for other felonies at the time he possessed the firearm, Wako was prohibited from possessing firearms.
The investigation involved Homeland Security Investigations and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen joined U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell in prosecuting the case.
A presentence investigation is underway with sentencing scheduled for September 22, 2025. Wako remains in custody under the U.S. Marshals Service.
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