MITCHELL, SD (Mitchell Now) — Three South Dakota men have been sentenced to federal prison for possessing firearms despite prior felony convictions, according to a release from U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons.
U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier sentenced Dominic Dwayne Houston, 28, of Sioux Falls, to three years and four months in prison on Nov. 9, 2026.
Spencer Mark Patterson, 23, of Sioux Falls, received two years and three months, while Chase Charles Zephier, 28, of Yankton, received one year and five months. Both were sentenced Sept. 28, 2026.
Each man also received three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The case began April 21, 2025, when an off-duty Sioux Falls police officer saw the men purchasing ammunition. The officer recognized one as a person with a prior felony conviction who could not legally possess ammunition.
Officers attempted a traffic stop after the men left the store, but the vehicle eluded them. Police did not pursue it.
Later that day, officers stopped a vehicle carrying Houston and Zephier. They found a Glock 9 mm pistol where Zephier had been seated. He admitted possessing it.
Officers also found a Glock .40-caliber pistol in a bag they had previously seen Houston wearing. Investigators later confirmed his DNA was on the firearm.
Patterson was no longer in the vehicle. Investigators subsequently found a Smith & Wesson .40-caliber pistol during a parole search of his residence.
All three pleaded guilty in 2026 after an August 2025 indictment. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case. All three were remanded to U.S. Marshals Service custody.