Sioux Falls man sentenced to prison for Attempted Enticement of a Minor

JULY 2023, UPDATE:

United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell says a US District Court judge has sentenced (July 24, 2023) a Sioux Falls man convicted of Attempted Enticement of a Minor.

Sky Thomas Roubideaux, age 23, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

The conviction stemmed from an incident on March 7, 2022, when Roubideaux used his cell phone to attempt to coerce an undercover agent posing as a 15-year-old male to engage in sexual activity.

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 FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Sioux Falls Police Department, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the SD Internet Crimes Against Children task force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.

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

APRIL 2023, UPDATE:

A federal judge has decided the punishment for a 56 year old man from Sioux Falls convicted of Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet.
Kent Mews was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $5,100.

The conviction stemmed from an incident on March 6, 2022, when Mews attempted to use his cell phone to knowingly persuade and coerce an undercover agent, posing as a 15-year-old male, to engage in sexual activity.

Also arrested as part of the same investigation were:

• Zachary Murray, age 35, Brookings, SD – Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet.
• Sky Thomas Roubideaux, age 22, Tea, SD – Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet.
• Elliott Anderson, age 25, Sioux Falls, SD – Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet.
• Jordan Matthew Hermanson, age 31, Sioux Falls, SD – Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Sioux Falls Police Department, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, South Dakota Highway Patrol, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.

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.

APRIL 2023:

A jury has convicted Sky Thomas Roubideaux, age 23, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, of Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on April 20, 2023.

The charges carry a maximum penalty of life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, life of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Roubideaux, using his cellular phone, attempted to knowingly entice a minor individual, namely an undercover officer posing as a 15-year-old male, to engage in sexual activity.

This case was investigated by the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Sioux Falls Police Department, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and Air Force Office of Special Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.

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.

A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date has been set for July 10, 2023. Roubideaux was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

MARCH 2022:

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with the assistance of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), Sioux Falls Police Department, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, South Dakota Highway Patrol, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted a joint online sex crimes operation that ran from March 6, 2022, through March 10, 2022. As a result, the following five men were arrested:

• Kent Mews, age 55, Sioux Falls, SD – Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet.
• Zachary Murray, age 35, Brookings, SD – Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet.
• Sky Thomas Roubideaux, age 22, Tea, SD – Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet.
• Elliott Anderson, age 25, Sioux Falls, SD – Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet.
• Jordan Matthew Hermanson, age 31, Sioux Falls, SD – Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet.

The mandatory minimum penalty upon conviction is 10 years and a maximum of life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, five years minimum of supervised release, up to life, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.

“This successful operation illuminates the continued threat child predators pose to our children,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Jamie Holt for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) St. Paul. “I want to thank our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners for teaming with us, and the South Dakota DCI’s ICAC task force, in this very important work.”

The cases are being federally prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper.