Rapid City Man Sentenced to Over 7 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a Felon

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on June 1, 2026.

Alex Montileaux, 32, was sentenced to seven years and seven months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Montileaux was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in December 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 2, 2026.

On November 7, 2025, Montileaux was a passenger in a car stopped by the police. A drug dog detected the presence of illegal drugs in the car. Inside the vehicle, law enforcement found a loaded pistol along with two loaded magazines for the pistol. The pistol and magazines had previously been reported stolen, and Montileaux was involved in the theft of the pistol. Montileaux had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. Possessing a firearm after such a conviction is a federal felony.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Summerset Police Department, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.

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