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 Rapid City man has been sentenced to federal prison after being convicted of possessing a firearm as a prohibited person. U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler handed down the sentence to Andrew Cortes, 30, on August 7, 2025.
Cortes received a sentence of two years and three months in federal prison. He will also serve three years of supervised release and must pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
According to court records, Cortes was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2025 for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. He pleaded guilty to the charge on May 23, 2025.
The incident leading to his arrest occurred on December 12, 2024, when Rapid City police stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation with Cortes as a passenger. Upon stopping, Cortes fled the scene on foot but was apprehended by law enforcement officers. During the pursuit, he had a pistol in his possession that dropped when he was caught. Authorities noted that Cortes had previously been convicted of a felony crime, making it illegal under federal law for him to possess firearms.
"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," according to United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Rapid City Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted it.
Cortes was immediately remanded into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service.
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