South Dakota men were caught in a sting operation targeting those who attempt to buy sex acts with children. U.S. authorities arrested five men after they responded to online advertisements.
According to court documents, the five men were identified through an online undercover operation conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations and the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
The men were indicted on charges of Attempted Commercial Sex Trafficking, a federal crime that carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum sentence of life, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The men are: Jose Joaquin Oxlaj, 26, of Guatemala; Nathanuel Walter Downs, 27, of Sioux City, Iowa; Benjamin Lyle Iverson, 25, of Sioux Falls; Lance Eugene Hunter, Jr., 29, of Little Rock, Iowa; and Scott Robert Larson, 29, of Sioux Falls.
Oxlaj appeared in court on May 11, 2015, and pled not guilty to the indictment. The other four men were indicted on June 2, 2015, and made their initial appearances on June 3 and 4, 2015. Each of the men also pled not guilty to the indictment.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper is prosecuting the cases. Oxlaj was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial, while Iverson was returned to Minnehaha County where he faces state charges for assaulting a law enforcement officer. Downs, Larson, and Hunter were released on bond.
The charges are mere accusations, and each man is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Related Federal Cases
Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Category: Sex Crimes|Human Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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