Department of Justice

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person was sentenced on October 5, 2020, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.

Shilo Philip Hill, age 25, was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Hill was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 16, 2019.  He pled guilty on July 20, 2020.

The conviction stemmed from a traffic stop involving Hill on April 18, 2019, west of Dupree, South Dakota.  Hill was a passenger in the stopped car and at that time, he knowingly possessed a stolen and loaded .357 Mangum caliber revolver.  In addition to the revolver, Hill possessed a scale, baggies, and a small amount of methamphetamine.  Hill was prohibited from possessing firearms due to a felony conviction and the fact that he was a user of methamphetamine.     

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.

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.

This case was investigated by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case.

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

###