Alison J. Ramsdell U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota
A man from Oglala, South Dakota, has been sentenced to 17 and a half years in federal prison for receiving child pornography. U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler delivered the sentence on March 17, 2025, following Johnathan Morrison's conviction on two counts of receipt of child pornography.
Morrison, aged 34, received eight years and nine months in federal prison for each count, totaling 210 months. His sentence includes five years of supervised release per count to run concurrently and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for each offense. Additionally, Morrison must pay $95 in restitution to the South Dakota Internet Crimes Investigation Fund and forfeit his smartphone. He is also required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
The case began with a federal grand jury indictment in February 2024. Morrison pleaded guilty on January 8, 2025.
In August 2023, Morrison solicited explicit conduct from a ten-year-old girl via social media. An adult discovered this interaction and reported it to the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, leading to Morrison's arrest. A search of his smartphone revealed that he had downloaded multiple social media apps like KIK, Telegram, and Snapchat before August 2023. Through these platforms, he exchanged images and videos containing child pornography involving prepubescent females engaged in sexual acts. Investigators found that Morrison showed interest in girls aged between ten and fourteen years old.
Further investigation uncovered that Morrison made inappropriate advances toward his girlfriend’s teenage daughter and secretly photographed her over 130 times using his smartphone.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide. It involves collaboration among federal, state, and local resources to apprehend offenders and rescue victims.
The FBI led the investigation along with the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
Following sentencing, Morrison was remanded into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service.
