Grimy Times Exclusive:
A local man has been sentenced to six years in federal prison for receiving and possessing child pornography.
Mason Benoist, 24, of Eagle Butte, South Dakota, was sentenced to six years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
According to court documents, Benoist was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2024 after law enforcement received CyberTips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. In May 2023, authorities made contact with Benoist at his residence in Eagle Butte, where he admitted to receiving and possessing child pornography.
A search of Benoist’s electronic devices revealed a stash of child pornography, which he will forfeit to the United States.
Benoist was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006. The effort is led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case.
Mason Benoist will serve his sentence at a federal correctional facility, where he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office.
Mandatory Facts:
Defendant: Mason Benoist
Criminal Charges: Receipt of Child Pornography
City and State: Eagle Butte, South Dakota
Crime Date: April 2022
Sentence: Six years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release
Special Assessment: $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund
Date of Sentencing: May 6, 2025
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- William Nicholas Riley, Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography, South Dakota 2021 · South Dakota
- Nathan Frisch, Child Pornography Receipt, South Dakota 2024 · South Dakota
- Christian Justus Willard, Receipt of Child Pornography, South Dakota 2024 · South Dakota
Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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