Rapid City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearm
Nicholas Murphy, 52, received one year and one day in federal prison after pleading guilty to possessing a firearm as a prohibited person.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Criminal Justice
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U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler sentenced Nicholas Murphy, 52, of Rapid City, to one year and one day in federal prison on November 2, 2026, for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Murphy was also ordered to serve two years of supervised release and pay a $100 special assessment.
Why it matters
The case underscores that individuals barred from possessing firearms because of a prior felony conviction can face federal prosecution when found with weapons. It also reflects federal coordination on firearm enforcement in the District of South Dakota.
Murphy was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following sentencing on November 2, 2026. The judgment also included forfeiture, and the extraction does not report any pending appeal.
The players
Camela C. Theeler
U.S. District Judge for the District of South Dakota who presided over the sentencing and imposed the federal prison term and supervised release.
U.S. Marshals Service
The federal law enforcement agency responsible for custody of defendants remanded by federal courts, which took Murphy into custody after sentencing.
The details
Law enforcement responded to a gunshot report at a Rapid City apartment building on December 3, 2025, and conducted a safety sweep of Murphy's apartment, finding ammunition, a handgun holster, and a safe. Officers executed a search warrant for the safe and found a pistol inside, leading to a federal grand jury indictment in February 2026.
Timeline
December 3, 2025: Law enforcement responded to a gunshot report in a Rapid City apartment building.
February 2026: A federal grand jury indicted Murphy for firearm possession.
August 24, 2026: Murphy pleaded guilty to the firearm possession charge.
November 2, 2026: Murphy was sentenced in federal court.
Legal Context
Federal prosecutions of prohibited persons under the federal firearms statute are a recurring tool in U.S. district courts, and Project Safe Neighborhoods coordinates such efforts across 94 federal districts. Cases like this one show how that framework is applied locally in South Dakota.
Residents of Rapid City and the surrounding area are affected when federal firearm prosecutions remove prohibited persons from the community and when law enforcement responds to reports of gunfire in residential buildings. The case is a reminder that possessing a firearm after a felony conviction carries federal penalties.
The takeaway
Federal firearm possession convictions can carry prison time even for relatively modest possession cases, so anyone with a prior felony conviction should understand that firearm and ammunition possession is prohibited. The sentence also includes supervised release, which imposes ongoing conditions after custody ends.
Further reading
For more on how cases like this move through the system, see Criminal Justice coverage in Rapid City.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The United States Department of Justice.
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