United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Receipt of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography.
Andrew Hiipakka, age 27, was indicted on Aug. 26, 2014. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge John E. Simko on Aug. 27, 2014, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The penalty upon conviction is a mandatory minimum of 5 years’ imprisonment up to 20 years’ imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine, lifetime of supervised release, and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment charges that between November 2013 and August 2014, at Rapid City, Hiipakka knowingly received and possessed computers files containing images of child pornography.
The charges are merely accusations and Hiipakka is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation was conducted by the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins is prosecuting the case.
Hiipakka was released pending trial, with conditions limiting his use of the Internet and contact with children. A trial date has not been set.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
