United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that Nathaniel Johnson, age 30, from Dickinson, North Dakota, was convicted of Possession of Explosives by a Prohibited Person and sentenced to 33 months in federal prison, 2 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100 on June 25, 2018, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
United States Attorney Ron Parsons also announced that William Fralick, age 30, from Harrisburg, South Dakota, charged with Misprision of a Felony, pled guilty and was sentenced to time served, 1 year of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100 on July 25, 2018, by U.S. District Judge Lange.
Johnson and Fralick were indicted by a federal grand jury on Jan. 17, 2018. Johnson pled guilty on April 3, 2018, and Fralick pled guilty on July 25, 2018.
The convictions stem from an incident on Jan. 19, 2017, when Johnson and Fralick, who were fugitives from justice, were arrested in Reliance, South Dakota. Found in Johnson’s possession, during his arrest, was 58 ½ inches of detonation cord and an emulsion explosive containing ammonium nitrate, sodium nitrate, microballoons, aluminum and oil/wax from a plastic orange tube marked “Orica" and “Explosivos Mexicanos", which are explosives that had been shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce.
Johnson did not possess a valid license or permit to possess explosives and has multiple convictions for crimes punishable in excess of one year.
Fralick learned that Johnson was illegally in possession of explosives and knew that Johnson was prohibited from possessing explosives. Despite this knowledge, Fralick failed to report this information to federal law enforcement officials.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Lyman County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.
Johnson was turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to begin serving his sentence.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
