Watertown Man Faces Child Pornography Charges

GRIMY TIMES EXCLUSIVE: A grim case of sexual exploitation has unfolded in Watertown, South Dakota. Vincent Michael Perez, 35, stands accused of heinous crimes involving child pornography. United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that the federal grand jury has indicted Perez for receipt and distribution of child pornography, as well as transportation of such material.

Perez, aged 35, was hit with charges on August 17, 2020, and faced U.S. Magistrate Judge William D. Gerdes on August 21, 2020, where he entered a not guilty plea.

The severity of the allegations is underscored by the potential sentence. If convicted, Perez could face up to 40 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. The government also seeks life of supervised release, restitution, and an additional penalty to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

According to the indictment, Perez’s offending activities took place between August 7, 2019, and August 17, 2019. He is accused of knowingly receiving and distributing child pornography, including efforts to receive more through interstate commerce, using a computer.

The charges escalate further with allegations that from August 7, 2019, to August 30, 2019, Perez transported child pornography over the internet. He uploaded graphic images and videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct into his Dropbox account using his own email address.

As of now, Perez is presumed innocent until proven guilty. The investigation leading to these charges was a joint effort by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Watertown Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper is handling the prosecution. Pending trial, Perez has been remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service, with no trial date set as yet.

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