Rapid City Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison on Firearm Charge

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on August 8, 2024.

Christian Lorenzo Witt, age 31, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by three of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Witt was indicted by a federal grand jury in May of 2023 for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. He pleaded guilty on May 8, 2024.

On March 18, 2023, Rapid City police officers were involved in a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Witt. Officers learned Witt had an active warrant and he was arrested. Officers recovered a loaded Glock pistol along with a 30-round magazine under the driver seat of the vehicle that belonged to Witt. Witt is prohibited from possession of a firearm as a result of several felony convictions. As part of his sentence, Witt forfeited the Glock firearm and ammunition.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Patterson prosecuted the case.

Witt was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.