Sonny Ray Escarsega, Sex Offender Registration, South Dakota 2020

Rapid City Man Charged with Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

A Rapid City man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for failure to register as a sex offender. Sonny Ray Escarsega, 38, was indicted on October 14, 2020, for allegedly failing to properly register as a sex offender and update his registration between August 10, 2020, and October 14, 2020.

Escarsega, a/k/a Sonny Ray Ruiz, was convicted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in July 2003. As a result, he is required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. However, authorities claim that he failed to comply with these requirements.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, five years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.

Escarsega appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on April 8, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment. He was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.

The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson is prosecuting the case.

Escarsega was convicted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in July 2003. He is required to register as a sex offender and failed to properly register between August 10, 2020, and October 14, 2020.

The charge is merely an accusation, and Escarsega is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/pr/rapid-city-man-indicted-failure-register-sex-offender-15