United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell has announced the sentencing of Jerad Wade Olson, a resident of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Olson was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schrier for the crime of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing occurred on December 16, 2024.

Olson, aged 35, received a sentence of three years and ten months in federal prison. Following his prison term, he will undergo three years of supervised release and must pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

The charges against Olson stem from an indictment by a federal grand jury in May 2024. He entered a guilty plea in September 2024.

In December 2023, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) identified Olson as selling firearms in Sioux Falls despite being prohibited due to previous felony convictions. An ATF operation conducted on December 13, 2023, involved an agent posing as a firearm buyer who arranged to purchase a Walther 9mm pistol from Olson for $500 at his residence in Vermillion.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement and communities. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched an enhanced strategy for PSN focusing on community trust and legitimacy, supporting violence prevention organizations, strategic enforcement priorities, and result measurement.

The investigation was carried out by the ATF alongside the Sioux Falls Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce led the prosecution.

Following his sentencing, Olson was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service.