United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell has announced the sentencing of Charles Nichols, 51, a Rapid City, South Dakota resident, for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. Nichols was handed down a 24-year and 5-month federal prison sentence on June 7, 2024, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Nichols, who pleaded guilty to the crime in March 2024, admitted communicating with two minors aged 16 and 17 over Instagram. He offered them alcohol, marijuana, and vape pods in exchange for sexual activity between August and October 2022, using his phone to record some of these acts.
The defendant’s arrest followed an October 2022 incident at the Black Hills Pow Wow when he attempted to trade a vape pen for sexual acts with another minor. Nichols was indicted on charges of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and Attempted Enticement of a Minor by a federal grand jury in March 2023.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, the Department of Justice’s initiative to combat child exploitation and abuse. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox led the prosecution, while Homeland Security Investigations and the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated the case.
Nichols has been remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following his sentencing.
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Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes|Cybercrime|Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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