SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Five men are facing charges after DCI agents conducted another sex sting operation during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
The South Dakota Attorney General’s office says the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children task force has done these types operations for the past several years, but for whatever the reason, alleged sexual predators don’t seem to be getting the message.
KELOLAND Investigates has gone undercover with South Dakota’s ICAC unit numerous times.
“The South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is made up of state, local and federal officials, who are focused on protecting kids,” South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley said.
“When we run an operation like this we do a fair amount of planning ahead of time picking locations, things we are going to do, back stories that we are going to use; things like that” DCI agent Toby Russell said.
In most recent one, at the 85th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, agents caught five people who were allegedly trying to prey on young children. Those five charged are:
Elmer James Hopper, 36, Rapid City—charged with Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet.
Beau James Remington, 23, Black Hawk—charged with Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet and Attempted Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor.
Jayson “Javi” Gomez, 30, Rapid City—charged with Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet.
Joshua Michael Allen, 36, Hermosa—charged with Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet.
Jackson Wolfgang Witte, 36, Summerset – charged with Solicitation of a Minor and Attempted Manufacture of Child Pornography.
Jackley says the undercover stings are working.
“These individuals are meeting a law enforcement officer rather than a child, they face significant jail sentences; 10 to life in certain circumstances, but it is troubling that we have local folks who are engaged in conducting actions that are harmful to kids,” Jackley said.
Don: Why did you let us go along with the operation several years ago?
Jackley: “We wanted it to be a deterrent effect, we want the bad actors to know that South Dakota is off limits, law enforcement has operations state wide occurring at various events and the hope is to get these folks to stop doing it.”
