PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — A federal jury found a Winner man broke federal laws against child sex trafficking and producing child pornography Friday afternoon in Pierre.
Richard Alan Kucera, age 67, was found guilty on two counts of sex trafficking and guilty on two counts of producing child pornography. Kucera was accused of having sex with three different teenaged girls younger than age 18 and production of child pornography with two of them as well as a fourth teenaged girl.
U.S. District Judge Eric Schulte is presiding on the trial. Schulte said there will be a sentencing in 60 to 90 days. Kucera was immediately taken into custody and was led away with his hands cuffed behind his back
One of the witnesses who testified against Kucera was Ivy Rose Heron of Winner. She and Kucera were indicted by a federal grand jury in 2023.
Heron agreed earlier this year to plead guilty. She hasn’t been sentenced yet.
Heron agreed to testify against Kucera in return for the possibility that federal prosecutors will recommend that she receive a reduced sentence.
Kucera didn’t testify in his own defense at the trial, which was in its fourth day on Friday.
Kucera made a lengthy statement to FBI agents without a defense attorney present. He later tried to have the statement suppressed.
Kucera, dressed in gray polo shirt, dark slacks and blue athletic shoes, sat with his chin pressed against his chest during much of the time as Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson delivered the prosecution’s closing argument.
Albertson said Heron arranged for the girls to meet with Kucera for the sexual activity. Albertson said Kucera also uploaded pornographic images of them.
Kucera’s defense attorney, Justin Bell of Pierre, said Heron presented the girls as 18 and the girls told Kucera they were 18. Bell said Kucera was “misled.”
“She (Heron) victimized these girls, and she’s paying for it,” Bell argued. As for Kucera’s behavior, Bell said, “People trust each other when they’re told they’re 18.”
Prosecutor Albertson told jurors that some of the images Kucera uploaded showed him receiving oral sex from one of the girls or one of them masturbating.
Said Bell, “The government’s case is primarily built on making you not like Richard.”
Responded Albertson, “He (Kucera) did it to himself.”
