Alison J. Ramsdell U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota
A Norris, South Dakota man has been sentenced to federal prison for failing to register as a sex offender. U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte delivered the sentence on February 4, 2025.
Harold White Hat, aged 41, received a sentence of one year and one month in federal prison. This will be followed by five years of supervised release. Additionally, he is required to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
In September 2024, White Hat was indicted by a federal grand jury and pleaded guilty on October 31, 2024. His previous conviction for abusive sexual contact in 2022 mandated that he register as a sex offender and update his registration within three business days after relocating or changing employment. In July 2024, White Hat moved from his registered address in Sioux Falls, South Dakota but failed to update his sex offender registration. He was subsequently arrested in Todd County, South Dakota on August 23, 2024.
The case was part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative started in May 2006 by the Department of Justice aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse. This initiative utilizes resources from federal, state, and local agencies to find and prosecute individuals exploiting children while also identifying and rescuing victims.
The U.S. Marshals Service conducted the investigation with Senior Litigation Counsel Kirk Albertson prosecuting the case.
White Hat was immediately taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service.
