Watauga Man Sentenced to Over 13 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a Felon and for Assaulting a Federal Officer

ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Watauga, South Dakota, man convicted of Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm and Simple Assault on a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on November 4, 2024.

Justin James Schneider, age 39, was sentenced to over 13 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and a $125 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. His revolver was also forfeited.

Schneider was indicted by a federal grand jury in July of 2023. Following a jury trial, he was convicted on August 8, 2024.

On June 20, 2023, the Corson County Sheriff's Office received credible information that Schneider had discharged a revolver earlier that day and was armed and dangerous. The Corson County Sheriff requested and received assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs - Office of Justice Services to detain and arrest Schneider. A BIA officer found Schneider in Bullhead, South Dakota, which lies within the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation. When the officer attempted to arrest him, Schneider fled in his pickup to a nearby pasture and engaged in an armed stand-off with Corson County deputies and BIA police officers. Schneider eventually hopped back into his pickup and fled to the Bullhead Community Center, striking a police squad car en route. Schneider then exited his pickup, brandishing a revolver, gesturing wildly towards nearby civilians and disregarding repeated police commands to drop his gun. As Schneider moved quickly towards unarmed children, a police officer shot him to protect the public. Schneider was taken into custody without further incident.

Schneider has nine prior felony convictions, including convictions for Aggravated Assault, Assault Against a Law Enforcement Officer, Felony Driving Under the Influence, Possession of Methamphetamine and Ingestion of Methamphetamine.

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 gun violence and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results.

This case was investigated by the FBI, the Corson County Sheriff's Office and the Bureau of Indian Affairs - Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.

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