A Rapid City man has been sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. U.S. District Court Judge Camela C. Theeler handed down the sentence to Jonathan Bagola, 38, on January 26, 2026. In addition to the prison term, Bagola will serve three years of supervised release and must pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Bagola was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2025 for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and pleaded guilty on October 24, 2025. According to court records, police discovered Bagola with a pistol that had an obliterated serial number during a traffic stop in Rapid City on January 25, 2025. He was previously convicted of an offense punishable by more than one year in prison, making it illegal for him to possess firearms or ammunition.
“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,” said U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons.
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.
Bagola was immediately taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service.
