Richard Peneaux, a 26-year-old man from Rapid City, South Dakota, is headed to federal prison after being sentenced for failing to register as a sex offender—a violation that followed his escape from a correctional facility and a foot chase with local police. On August 17, 2020, Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange handed down a 27-month prison term, followed by five years of supervised release, plus a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Peneaux’s criminal history dates back to March 2014, when he was convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor—a conviction that legally required him to register as a sex offender. That obligation became law, not suggestion. Yet, Peneaux chose to vanish. On December 19, 2019, he absconded from the Community Alternatives of the Black Hills Corrections Center in Rapid City, cutting ties with mandated supervision and vanishing into the shadows.
For nearly three weeks, Peneaux lived off the grid, fully aware he was dodging not just custody but federal sex offender registration laws. During that time, he failed to report his whereabouts, a federal offense under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). The U.S. Marshals Service issued federal warrants for his arrest, launching a manhunt across western South Dakota.
The fugitive’s run ended on January 7, 2020, when Rapid City Police spotted and confronted him. Instead of complying, Peneaux bolted on foot, leading officers on a foot pursuit through city streets. When finally apprehended, he doubled down—lying about his identity and providing a fake name and Social Security number in a desperate bid to slip through the cracks.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Rapid City Police Department, agencies that don’t take kindly to fugitives playing games with public safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore prosecuted the case, ensuring Peneaux faced consequences not just for the escape, but for the calculated disregard of sex offender laws designed to protect communities.
Peneaux, already a convicted predator, now returns to federal custody with a record stained by evasion, deception, and contempt for the law. He was taken immediately into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following sentencing. His case is a stark reminder: once branded a sex offender, the clock never stops ticking, and the system has long arms.
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Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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