Department of Justice

Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that an Aberdeen, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person was sentenced on November 29, 2021, by Judge Charles B. Kornmann, U.S. District Court.

Brent Wayne Vostad, age 37, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Vostad was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 13, 2021.  He pled guilty on August 18, 2021.

The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on February 27, 2021, in Aberdeen.  Vostad, who was previously convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, knowingly possessed a loaded handgun, methamphetamine, small plastic baggies, and a scale.  The items were seized from Vostad’s person and vehicle following a traffic stop conducted by the Aberdeen Police Department.     

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. 

This case was investigated by the Aberdeen Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case.

Vostad was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.