SIOUX FALLS, SD — A 30-year-old woman from Sioux Falls has been indicted by a federal grand jury for making false statements to illegally buy a firearm later used in a series of shootings, including one that threatened the lives of law enforcement officers.
Chardea Danies Odom pleaded not guilty Thursday in U.S. District Court to charges of falsely stating she was the actual buyer of a firearm during a June purchase at a licensed dealer. Authorities say Odom knowingly bought the weapon on behalf of another individual who was prohibited from owning firearms.
That firearm, according to investigators, was later used by the intended recipient in multiple shootings in Sioux Falls, one of which involved a direct confrontation with law enforcement. No officers were injured, but federal and state officials emphasized the serious threat to public and police safety.
The indictment charges Odom with one count of False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine, and one count of False Statement to a Licensed Firearm Dealer, which carries up to five years.
Officials from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), along with the Sioux Falls Police Department and South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, coordinated in the investigation. ATF Special Agent in Charge Travis Riddle noted the life-threatening consequences of straw purchasing, calling it a direct danger to officers and the public.
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley said the joint investigation was key to quickly identifying the source of the illegally obtained firearm and pursuing charges.
Odom was released on bond pending trial. No trial date has been set.
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Key Points
- Chardea Danies Odom indicted for straw purchasing firearm used in Sioux Falls shootings
- The firearm was used by a prohibited person in an incident involving law enforcement officers
- Odom faces up to 15 years in prison and $500,000 in fines if convicted
Straw buyer indicted after gun she bought was used in Sioux Falls shooting that endangered police
