January 15 — FAST CITY — The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota released five cases for the week of January 13.
A Howard, SD man was sentenced after pleading guilty to child pornography production charges.
Lee Thames, 26, was convicted following incidents that occurred between March 16, 2021, and April 29, 2021, when Thames intentionally used his cell phone to take sexually explicit photographs of a 12-year-old girl and stored them in your Snapchat memories. bill.
Thames was sentenced on December 27, 2022 to 26 years in federal prison, five years of supervised release, as well as a $100 fine to the Federal Fund for Victims of Crime.
A Brookings, SD man was sentenced after pleading guilty to attempting to solicit a minor over the Internet.
Zachary Murray, 36, was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2022, following an incident that occurred on March 6, 2022.
Murray knowingly used his cell phone to attempt to persuade, induce, seduce, and coerce an undercover officer posing as a 14-year-old female to engage in sexual activity.
Murray was sentenced on January 9, 2023 to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release and a $100 fine to the Federal Fund for Victims of Crime.
A Wanblee, SD man was charged after allegedly attempting to rob a bank.
Francis White Lance, 65, was indicted for the alleged robbery in November 2022. The indictment alleges that on November 7, 2022, White Lance took money belonging to the Lakota Federal Credit Union at the Kyle, SD location. White Lance also allegedly brandished and discharged a firearm during the commission of the robbery.
White Lance has pleaded not guilty to both the bank robbery charge and the discharge of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence on January 10, 2023.
If convicted, White Lance can face a maximum sentence of life in prison, up to $250,000 in fines, five years of supervised release and a $200 Federal Fund for Crime Victims fine. Restitution can also be ordered by the court.
White Lance was remanded to the custody of the US Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has been set for March 21, 2023.
Kansas City, MO, man was convicted of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
In the summer of 2021, 39-year-old Ricky Young and an accomplice rented a storage unit in Sioux Falls, SD. The storage unit was intended to store the controlled substances they obtained from Kansas City, for distribution in Sioux Falls. area. Young would make trips with his co-conspirator to this storage unit and retrieve or drop crack to further its distribution.
Police obtained a search warrant and on October 1, 2021 found approximately 100 grams of a mixture containing cocaine base.
Young was indicted in April 2022 and pleaded guilty on October 7, 2022.
Young was sentenced on January 9, 2023 to 12 years and seven months in federal prison, four years of supervised release, and a $100 federal crime victim fund fine.
A Rapid City, SD man was convicted of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
In June 2021, John Winn, 44, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from owning firearms, was found in possession of multiple weapons. Authorities recovered a SIG Sauer Incorporated semi-automatic pistol, model P320, 9x19mm Parabellum caliber; a Colt’s Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company, Combat Commander model, .45 caliber AUTO, semi-automatic pistol; a Sturm, Ruger & Company Incorporated revolver, model LCR, caliber .357 Magnum, double action only; and a Taurus semi-automatic pistol, model PT145, .45 AUTO caliber, which were found after Winn contacted police.
The SIG Sauer firearm had been reported stolen and the Taurus firearm had a defaced serial number.
Along with the firearms, police recovered numerous items consistent with drug distribution, including methamphetamine.
Winn was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2021 and pleaded guilty on August 31, 2022.
Winn was sentenced to nine years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, as well as payment of a $100 fine to the Federal Fund for Victims of Crime.