United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Little Rock, Iowa man convicted of Use of Interstate Facilities to Transmit Information about a Minor was sentenced on April 11, 2016, by United States District Court Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Lance Eugene Hunter, Jr., age 30, was sentenced to 18 months in custody, 5 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Hunter was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 2, 2015. He pled guilty on Jan. 26, 2016.
Hunter responded to an advertisement on the Internet website of Backpage.com that was posted as part of a law enforcement undercover operation. Using his cell phone to send text messages, Hunter agreed to meet at a location in Sioux Falls to have sex with a fictitious 15 year-old girl. Law enforcement officers arrested Hunter after he attempted to leave the scene. They found the cell phone used for text messages as well as $100 in cash.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.
Hunter was ordered to self-surrender on May 2, 2016.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
