Alison J. Ramsdell U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota
A man from Eagle Butte, South Dakota, has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a prohibited person. U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte handed down the sentence to Cecil Addison, 27, on October 8, 2025.
Addison will also serve three years of supervised release after his prison term and must pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2024 and pleaded guilty on July 10, 2025.
According to court records, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on April 14, 2024, where Addison was a passenger in the vehicle. During the search, officers found a handgun with an extended magazine that had Addison’s name written on it in red letters. At the time of his arrest, Addison was carrying two small baggies of marijuana and a methamphetamine pipe. Due to his unlawful use of these substances, he is barred from possessing firearms.
“This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone,” according to United States Attorney Ron Parsons.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) along with Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services investigated this case.
Addison was immediately taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service.
