Javier Clark Moreno, Receipt of Child Pornography, South Dakota 2022

A Rapid City man was sentenced to federal prison for engaging in the receipt of child pornography, a crime that has shaken communities across South Dakota.

Javier Clark Moreno, 41, was convicted of Receipt of Child Pornography and sentenced to 17 1/2 years in federal prison, followed by eight years of supervised release. Moreno was also ordered to pay a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100 and will be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

The sentence was handed down on August 16, 2022, by Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court. This harsh penalty serves as a warning to those who would seek to exploit and harm children online.

Moreno, formerly the Captain of the Salvation Army of the Black Hills, was arrested and federally indicted following two Cybertips from Kik Messenger. An examination of Moreno’s Kik account revealed over 10,000 recordings and images of child pornography, including sadism and penetration of infants and toddlers. Moreno later admitted to viewing and collecting child pornography since the early 2000s.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Rapid City Police Department, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case.

The swift action taken by authorities is a testament to their commitment to protecting children from online predators. Moreno was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service, ensuring that he will face justice for his heinous crimes.

In this case, the defendant’s actions were found to be particularly egregious, involving the exploitation and harm of infants and toddlers. The receipt of child pornography is a serious crime that can have devastating consequences for victims and their families.

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