Watertown Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person

SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Watertown, South Dakota, man, convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on October 21, 2024, in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

Christopher Thomas Manin, age 56, was sentenced to one year and one day federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine, as well as $100 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Manin was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in October 2023. He pleaded guilty on July 29, 2024.

On July 25, 2022, the Watertown Police Department was dispatched to an apartment complex in town for reports of a domestic situation transpiring. Officers arrived at the apartment and spoke with Manin. During the investigation, the officers discovered Manin was in possession of several firearms and ammunition while he had an active domestic protection order against him and that he had been previously convicted of a felony.

Possession of firearms and ammunition is prohibited by people who are subject to an active domestic protection order or have been previously convicted of a felony.

Manin was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to continue serving his sentence.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case.

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.