Kyle Marks Charged with Sex Offender Registration Failure

A Fort Thompson man is facing federal charges after allegedly vanishing from the sex offender registry for over a month. Kyle Marks, 32, was indicted on November 9, 2016, on one count of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota.

Marks appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on November 14, 2016, where he formally entered a plea of not guilty. The charge stems from an alleged failure to register and update his status as a registered sex offender between September 1, 2016, and October 12, 2016—a 42-day window where authorities say he disappeared from compliance.

If convicted, Marks faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. Additional penalties include a mandatory minimum of five years of supervised release, a $100 payment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, and possible restitution. The stakes are high, and prosecutors are treating the violation as a serious breach of federal law.

The U.S. Marshals Service is leading the investigation, tracking down leads on whether Marks actively evaded registration or simply ignored the legal mandate. His whereabouts during the unregistered period remain under scrutiny as federal agents piece together his movements and intent.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges is handling the prosecution. The case underscores the federal government’s aggressive enforcement of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), which mandates strict, nationwide tracking of convicted sex offenders.

Marks was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following his court appearance. No trial date has been scheduled. The indictment is presumed to be accurate only in allegation; Kyle Marks is innocent until proven guilty under federal law.

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