United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell has announced the sentencing of a Rapid City man, Charles Colhoff, for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler sentenced Colhoff to nine years in federal prison on December 11, 2024. This will be followed by three years of supervised release, and he is required to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Colhoff, aged 36, was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024 and pleaded guilty on October 3, 2024. The charges stem from an incident on November 4, 2023, when Colhoff was involved in a shooting in Rapid City after an argument led to an exchange of gunfire with another individual. While Colhoff was uninjured, the other person sustained two gunshot wounds requiring surgery.
During the investigation, officers found three 9mm cartridge casings at the scene linked to the shooting. A week later, law enforcement located Colhoff and discovered him with a Browning 9mm semi-automatic pistol believed to have been used during the incident. Ballistics testing confirmed that the casings matched those fired from this weapon.
Colhoff had prior knowledge that he was prohibited from possessing firearms due to a previous federal felony offense involving a firearm.
This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through community collaboration and strategic enforcement priorities.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Pennington County Sheriff's Office; and Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Following his sentencing, Colhoff was remanded into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service.