A Rapid City man has been sentenced to federal prison for receiving a firearm while under indictment, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. The sentencing was handed down by U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler on August 7, 2025.
Terrance Drapeaux, age 31, received a sentence of one year and three months in federal prison. After his release, he will be subject to three years of supervised release and must pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Drapeaux was indicted in March 2025 by a federal grand jury for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and Receipt of a Firearm while Under Indictment. He pleaded guilty on May 19, 2025.
Law enforcement encountered Drapeaux on December 4, 2024, when he had an active warrant for his arrest. During the arrest attempt, Drapeaux resisted and was found with a firearm in his pocket. At that time, he was already facing felony charges elsewhere that were still pending, making it illegal for him to receive or possess a firearm.
The case is part of Operation Take Back America, which uses resources from the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). According to the press release: “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.”
The investigation involved the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Rapid City Police Department, and Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.
Following sentencing, Drapeaux was immediately remanded into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service.
