⏱ 2 min read
Dakota Horned Eagle, a 22-year-old from McLaughlin, South Dakota, has been sentenced to 8 years and 1 month in federal prison for receiving child pornography. The sentencing took place on August 3, 2026, after Horned Eagle pleaded guilty on April 21, 2026. Between November 2003 and November 2024, Horned Eagle used his cell phone to receive thousands of sexually explicit images and videos of minors, which were stored on a flash drive and shared with other users on the Kik messaging app.
The investigation, led by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, the Rapid City Police Department, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, uncovered 88 media files containing child pornography on Horned Eagle’s devices. Additionally, his Kik account contained discussions about trading child pornography and his own sexual abuse of female relatives when they were minors.
Horned Eagle’s sentence includes 7 years of supervised release, $570 in restitution, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. The court also ordered the forfeiture of his desktop computer and cell phone.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project aims to identify and rescue victims, as well as prosecute individuals who exploit children.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Sex Crimes
- Defendant: South Dakota
- Location: SD
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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