June 5, 2007
Rapid City, South Dakota
United States Attorney Marty J. Jackley announced today that Leo Dupree Ramsey of Las Vegas appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marshall P. Young in federal court and pled not guilty to charges of bank fraud, unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm and person convicted of a misdemeanor domestic violence crime in possession of a firearm. Following an investigation conducted by the FBI, ATF and DCI, Ramsey, 38, was indicted by a federal grand jury that met in April 2007. The maximum penalty upon conviction of the fraud charge is thirty years imprisonment and/or a $1,000,000 fine; the maximum penalty upon conviction of the firearm charges is ten years imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine. Jackley said the charge relates to incidents that occurred in November 2006 near Rapid City and Sioux Falls when Ramsey, working with another, schemed to defraud three banks of large sums of money. At the time, Ramsey, previously convicted of domestic violence, was using an illegal drug and was also in possession of a .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol. These charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Assistant United States Attorney Robert A. Mandel is prosecuting the case. No date has been set for trial. ###
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