PIERRE — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - South Dakota), published as received.
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
Ethan Blue Bird, age 33, was indicted in November of 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Moreno on November 16, 2022, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on August 24, 2022, in Todd County, South Dakota, Blue Bird, being an unlawful user of controlled substances, knowingly possessed a firearm.
The charge is merely an accusation and Blue Bird is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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.
The investigation is being conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson is prosecuting the case.
Blue Bird was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
