⏱ 2 min read
Elmer Hopper, a 37-year-old Rapid City man, attempted to entice a minor online during the 2025 Sturgis Bike Rally. He thought he was talking to a 14-year-old girl on the dating app Plenty Of Fish, but it was actually an undercover Rapid City Police Detective. Hopper wanted to meet the girl at West Middle School, but when he arrived, he was arrested. The incident occurred in August 2025, and Hopper pleaded guilty on March 30, 2026.
Hopper’s conversations with the undercover detective started with him saying he wanted someone to lay in bed with him. He later clarified that he meant he wanted someone to have sex with. The detective and Hopper agreed to meet, and when he arrived at the school, he was taken into custody.
Hopper was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $95 in restitution and $100 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Forfeiture was also ordered as part of his sentence.
This case was part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and is led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.
The investigation was conducted by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation’s Internet Crimes Against Children unit. The sentencing took place on June 15, 2026, and was handed down by U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Sex Crimes
- Defendant: South Dakota
- Location: SD
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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