United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
Patrick Cummings, age 33, was indicted on Oct. 16, 2019. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on Oct. 31, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 40 years in prison and/or a $5,000,000 fine, a lifetime of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for each Count. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on July 4, 2019, Cummings knowingly and intentionally possessed with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and knowing he had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, knowingly received and possessed a Smith & Wesson.380 AUTO caliber, semi-automatic pistol.
The charges are merely accusations and Cummings is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Drug trafficking is an inherently violent activity. Firearms are tools of the trade for drug dealers. It is common to find drug traffickers armed with guns in order to protect their illegal drug product and cash, and enforce their illegal operations.
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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and local communities to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The investigation is being conducted by the South Dakota Highway Patrol and the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges is prosecuting the case.
Cummings was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
