Rydell Iron Rope, Failure to Register as a Sex Offender, South Dakota 2023

Pierre, South Dakota - In a disturbing reminder of the ongoing struggle to protect society from sex offenders, a local man has been sentenced to prison for failing to register as required by law.

Rydell Iron Rope, age 50, of Eagle Butte, South Dakota, was sentenced to two years and six months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

The conviction stems from Iron Rope's failure to update his registration after moving to a different address in Eagle Butte. Despite being a convicted sex offender, Iron Rope did not notify the authorities of his change of address within the required three business days.

This is not Iron Rope's first run-in with the law. In 1996, he was convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor, and in 2008, he was convicted of Commission of a Sexual Offense While Registered as a Sexual Offender.

Iron Rope's failure to register as a sex offender is a serious offense, and his sentence reflects the gravity of this crime. As a registered sex offender, Iron Rope is required to maintain his registration for the rest of his life, including updating his registration within three business days of a change of residence address, employment, or student status.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the U.S. Marshals Service, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler prosecuting the case.

Iron Rope was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. His sentence serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining accurate and up-to-date registration information for sex offenders. The public has the right to know when a convicted sex offender is living in their community.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/pr/eagle-butte-man-sentenced-failure-register-sex-offender-12