AUGUST 2023:
A federal judge has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Attempted Production of Child Pornography.
Tyson Thill, age 45, was sentenced to 15 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 $100. Upon release from custody, Thill must register as a sex offender.
The conviction stemmed from incidents between February 8, 2019, and July 28, 2021, when Thill downloaded an application to use a camera from a remote location on his cell phone. Thill used the app to control the camera of another phone that he hid in a bedroom for the purpose of taking photographs of a minor getting dressed. Thill knew the minor was underage.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. 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.
Thill was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
OCTOBER 2021:
A Sioux Falls man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography and Attempted Production of Child Pornography.
Tyson Thill, age 43, pled not guilty.
Count one of the Indictment alleges that between on or about February 12, 2021, and July 28, 2021, Thill knowingly received, and attempted to receive, child pornography that had been mailed, shipped, and transported in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce by any mean, including by computer.
Count two of the Indictment alleges that between on or about February 8, 2019, and July 28, 2021, Thill knowingly attempted to employ, use, persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of such conduct, knowing such visual depictions would be transported in interstate or foreign commerce or mailed, shipped, and transported by computer.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 30 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, life of supervised release, and up to $200 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper is prosecuting the case.
Thill was released on bond pending trial, which has been set for November 23, 2021.
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