RAPID CITY, SD – Logan Gienger, 26, of Rapid City, South Dakota, will spend the next five years in federal prison after being sentenced for Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey L. Viken handed down the sentence on August 28, 2020, marking the culmination of a case born from the murky underbelly of the 2018 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
The bust wasn’t about bikes and booze; it was a targeted operation aimed at predators lurking online. According to U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons, Gienger engaged in a digital dance with an undercover agent posing as a 14-year-old prostitute. Texts flew back and forth, with Gienger brazenly requesting sexually explicit images and then attempting to arrange a meeting. He didn’t know he wasn’t talking to a vulnerable child, but a law enforcement operative.
The details are sickening. Gienger wasn’t just idly chatting; he was negotiating the time and location for a rendezvous to engage in unlawful sex acts with what he believed was a minor. When he arrived at the designated spot, expecting to meet a pimp, he was instead greeted by a phalanx of federal agents. The arrest was swift and decisive, ending his predatory pursuit.
Beyond the prison sentence, Gienger faces five years of supervised release upon his eventual release. He’s also been ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund – a paltry sum considering the potential harm he sought to inflict. The investigation was a joint effort, spearheaded by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, with crucial support from the Department of Homeland Security, the Rapid City Police Department, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case, building a solid case based on the damning digital evidence. Gienger was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service, his freedom forfeited. This case serves as a stark reminder that the internet is not a shield for predators, and law enforcement is actively working to expose and prosecute those who seek to exploit vulnerable children.
Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on similar instances of online exploitation. The targeting of children is a particularly vile crime, and we will continue to shine a light on the individuals who perpetrate these offenses. Gienger’s sentence, while significant, is just one battle won in a much larger war against child exploitation.
Related Federal Cases
- Pine Ridge Dad Gets Decades for Child Abuse · South Dakota
- Rapid City Predator: Adkins Gets 5 Months for Child Porn · South Dakota
- Denver Man Jailed for Attempted Child Porn Possession · Colorado
- Boyles Gets 11+ Years for Online Exploitation of Minor · South Dakota
- Clark Man Gets 10 Years for Child Porn · South Dakota
Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes|Cybercrime|Human Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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