Alison J. Ramsdell U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota
A Rapid City man, Zachary Coats, has been sentenced to over four years in federal prison for the theft of firearms. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell following the sentencing by U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler on April 7, 2025.
Zachary Coats, 28 years old, received a sentence of four years and two months for each of the two counts of theft of a firearm. These sentences are to be served concurrently. He will also undergo three years of supervised release and must pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, along with $10,277.67 in restitution.
In February 2024, Zachary Coats was indicted on three counts of theft of a firearm and one count of possession of a stolen firearm. He pleaded guilty to two counts of theft of a firearm on January 29, 2025.
The case traces back to August 2023 in Rapid City, when Coats unlawfully entered several federally licensed firearms dealers and stole firearms, including a Beretta 12-gauge shotgun, a Benelli 12-gauge shotgun, a USA Military Surplus .30 caliber rifle, and a Stoeger 12-gauge shotgun. Upon identification by law enforcement, Coats instructed his spouse, Danielle Coats, to relocate the firearms to a different family member’s residence to prevent detection. She subsequently arranged for others to further relocate or dispose of the firearms to hinder recovery by law enforcement.
Danielle Coats was separately sentenced in July 2024 to two years and six months in federal prison for possession of a stolen firearm.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide effort by the Department of Justice to address illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from violent crime. This initiative integrates efforts from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, along with the Rapid City Police Department, carried out the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson.
Following the sentencing, Zachary Coats was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
