A man from Eagle Butte, South Dakota, has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a prohibited person. U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte handed down the sentence to Cecil Addison, 27, on October 8, 2025. In addition to the prison term, Addison will serve three years of supervised release and must pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Addison was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2024 and pleaded guilty on July 10, 2025. The charges stem from an incident on April 14, 2024, when law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle where Addison was a passenger. During the search, officers found a handgun with an extended magazine that had Addison’s name written in red letters. At the time of his arrest, Addison also had two small baggies of marijuana and a methamphetamine pipe in his possession. Because of his unlawful use of marijuana and methamphetamine, he is prohibited from owning firearms.
The case falls under Operation Take Back America—a national initiative by the Department of Justice that focuses resources on combating illegal immigration and dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations while aiming to reduce violent crime through coordinated efforts like Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs). According to the release: “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.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) along with Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services investigated this case. Following sentencing, Addison was immediately remanded into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service.
