JULY 2023:
A federal judge in South Dakota has decided the punishment for a Jacksonville, Florida, man convicted of Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet.
22 year old James Dean Hanapel was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Hanapel will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Evidence at trial established that Hanapel was arrested as a result of an undercover sex trafficking operation conducted during the 2021 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, targeting internet predators. Following multiple chats and sexually explicit text messages with a person Hanapel believed to be a 14-year-old girl, but who was in fact an undercover agent, Hanapel proceeded to negotiate a time and place he would meet the minor to engage in unlawful sex acts. When Hanapel went to the pre-determined location to meet the minor, he was instead met by law enforcement agents and placed under arrest.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, Homeland Security Investigations, Rapid City Police Department, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case.
APRIL 2023, UPDATE:
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken has sentenced a 56 year old man from Spearfish convicted of Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography.
Anthony James Kemp, 56, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and a $5,000 special assessment to the Victims of Trafficking Fund. Kemp will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Kemp was arrested and federally indicted as a result of an undercover sex trafficking operation conducted during the 2021 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, targeting internet predators. Following multiple text messages with an undercover persona Kemp thought was a 15-year-old girl, he negotiated a time and place he would meet the girl to have sex. When Kemp went to the pre-determined location to meet the minor, he was instead met by law enforcement agents and placed under arrest.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case.
Kemp was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
APRIL 2023:
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted James Dean Hanapel, age 22, of Jacksonville, Florida, of Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet following a 3-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City. The verdict was returned on April 13, 2023.
The charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine, five years up to lifetime of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Evidence at trial established that Hanapel was arrested as a result of an undercover sex trafficking operation conducted during the 2021 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, targeting internet predators. Following his sending of multiple chats and sexually explicit text messages to a person Hanapel believed to be a 14-year-old girl, but who was in fact an undercover agent, Hanapel negotiated a time and place he would meet the minor to engage in unlawful sex acts. When Hanapel arrived at the pre-determined location to meet the person he believed was the minor, he was instead met by law enforcement agents and placed under arrest.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, Homeland Security Investigations, Rapid City Police Department, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered, and a sentencing date has not been set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
FEBRUARY 2023:
A 40 year old man from convicted of Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet, and Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography was sentenced this week in federal court in South Dakota.
Stephen Fontenot, Jr., was sentenced to 17 ½ years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release for Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. Additionally, Fontenot was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet, and five years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography. Fontenot’s sentences will run concurrently (at the same time). Fontenot was also ordered to pay a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and will be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Fontenot was arrested and federally indicted as a result of an undercover sex trafficking operation conducted during the 2021 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, targeting internet predators. Following multiple sexually explicit chats and text messages with a person Fontenot believed to be a 12-year-old girl, but who was in fact an undercover agent, Fontenot proceeded to negotiate a time and place he would meet the minor to engage in unlawful sex acts. When Fontenot went to the pre-determined location to meet the minor, he was instead met by law enforcement agents and placed under arrest.
In a related case, a federal judge decided the penalty for a 29 year old Wolcott, New York, man convicted of Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet.
Christopher Thomas Dahl was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, and a $5,000 special assessment to the Victims of Trafficking Fund. Dahl will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Dahl was arrested and federally indicted as a result of an undercover sex trafficking operation conducted during the 2021 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, targeting internet predators. Following multiple text messages with an undercover persona, Dahl negotiated a time and place he would meet a 14-year-old girl to have sex. Additionally, Dahl agreed to pay the undercover persona $250 for the unlawful sex acts with the minor. When Dahl went to the pre-determined location to meet the undercover persona, he was instead met by law enforcement agents and placed under arrest.
NOVEMBER 2022:
A federal jury in Rapid City has convicted (Nov. 3, 2022) Stephen Fontenot, Jr., age 40, of Black Hawk of Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet, and Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography.
Evidence at trial established that Fontenot was arrested as a result of an undercover sex trafficking operation conducted during the 2021 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, targeting internet predators. Following multiple sexually explicit chats and text messages with a person Fontenot believed to be a 12-year-old girl, but who was in fact an undercover agent, Fontenot proceeded to negotiate a time and place he would meet the minor to engage in unlawful sex acts. When Fontenot went to the pre-determined location to meet the minor, he was instead met by law enforcement agents and placed under arrest.
The charges carry a maximum penalty of 15 years up to life in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, five years up to lifetime of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, Homeland Security Investigations, the Rapid City Police Department, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date will be set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
AUGUST 2021:
The South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations conducted a joint sex trafficking operation during the 2021 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The operation began on August 6, 2021, and continued through August 12, 2021.
As a result, the following nine men were arrested and charged with a variety of offenses:
- Alec Walker Daniel, 22, Rapid City, South Dakota: Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet
- Alexander Wayne Basaldu, 35, Rapid City, South Dakota: Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet
- Jesse James Young, 36, Rapid City, South Dakota: Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet
- Joshua Robert Lehmann, 34, Rapid City, South Dakota: Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet
- Christopher Thomas Dahl, 28, Wolcott, NY: Attempted Commercial Sex Trafficking of a Minor
- Stephen Gregory Fontenot, 39, Black Hawk, South Dakota: Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet
- Anthony James Kemp, 54, Spearfish, South Dakota: Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet
- James Dean Hanapel, 20, Ellsworth AFB: Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet
- Clayton John Paulson, 36, Spearfish, South Dakota: Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet
The mandatory minimum penalty if convicted of Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet is 10 years up to life in federal prison; any term of years, not less than five, up to lifetime supervised release; $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund; and a $5,000 assessment if not indigent. Restitution may also be ordered.
The mandatory minimum penalty if convicted of Attempted Commercial Sex Trafficking of a Minor is 15 years up to life in federal prison; a $250,000 fine; any term of years, not less than five, up to lifetime supervised release; $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund; and a $5,000 assessment if not indigent. Restitution may also be ordered.
The agencies involved in the operation were DCI, ICAC, HSI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Ellsworth AFB Office of Special Investigations, Rapid City Police Department, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office.
The cases are being federally prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to extend its appreciation to all law enforcement partners involved in the investigations for their efforts and continued cooperation.
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