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Box Elder Man Gets Life for Child Exploitation
RAPID CITY – Vincent Alberto Barrios, a 43-year-old Box Elder man, has been sentenced to life in federal prison for preying on children online. U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier handed down the sentence on April 26, 2024, after finding Barrios guilty of multiple child exploitation charges.
Barrios was convicted of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet, Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet, Receipt of Child Pornography, and Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography. He was also ordered to pay a $600 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The charges stemmed from an undercover operation during the 2023 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, where Barrios attempted to meet a 13-year-old girl for sex. In reality, the girl was an undercover agent. Barrios also communicated with two other undercover agents he believed to be 14-year-old girls. A review of his phone revealed a text message conversation with a local 14-year-old girl and child pornography.
Barrios was arrested and federally indicted in August 2023 after a three-day jury trial in December 2023. He was found guilty on all charges. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.
The investigation was led by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, HSI, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case.
Barrios was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. This case serves as a reminder of the dangers of online predators and the importance of protecting our children from exploitation.
As part of Project Safe Childhood, the Department of Justice continues to work tirelessly to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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