Jerry Lane Golliher, Commercial Sex Trafficking, South Dakota 2013

A sex trafficking sting operation in South Dakota has led to the arrest of nine men, all of whom have been federally indicted for Commercial Sex Trafficking.

The operation was conducted during the 2013 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, which ended on August 11. The arrests were a result of investigations by the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

The defendants allegedly negotiated with law enforcement agents posing as pimps and agreed to pay for sex with underage girls, ranging from 12-15 years of age.

The defendants are:

• Jerry Lane Golliher, 31, of Rapid City, South Dakota
• Eric D. Murphy, 27, of Rapid City, South Dakota
• John Miller, 24, of Rapid City, South Dakota
• Michael Francis Fox Jr., 43, of Owings Mills, Maryland
• Scott B. Falk, 29, of Kenai, Alaska
• Timothy Charles Gravens, 54, of Grapevine, Texas
• Miguel Angel Aguilar, 19, of Brighton, Colorado
• James Eugene Larive Jr., 42, of Belle Fourche, South Dakota
• Curtis Ray Austin, 20, of Rapid City, South Dakota

The crime of Commercial Sex Trafficking carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10-15 years in prison up to a life maximum, and/or a $250,000 fine. The mandatory minimum prison sentence is determined by the age of the victim.

Falk, Fox, Gravens, and Aguilar are currently in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service and are scheduled to make an initial appearance before a United States Magistrate Judge in Rapid City on August 14, 2013. The remaining defendants will be taken into federal custody and will be making an initial appearance at a future date.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Collins is prosecuting the cases.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/pr/sex-trafficking-sting-nets-nine-arrests