Alison J. Ramsdell U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that William Henry Riese, a 34-year-old man from Rapid City, South Dakota, has been sentenced to over 21 years in federal prison for various child exploitation and pornography offenses. U.S. District Court Judge Karen E. Schreier delivered the sentence on May 30, 2025.
Riese's charges included attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, attempted enticement of a minor using the internet, attempted receipt of child pornography, and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. In addition to his prison term, Riese will undergo five years of supervised release and must pay $400 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. His cell phone used in committing these crimes was also forfeited.
The case began with an indictment by a federal grand jury in August 2022. Riese was found guilty after a jury trial concluded in February 2025 in Rapid City.
Riese's arrest followed an undercover sex trafficking operation during the Sturgis Bike Rally targeting online predators. He engaged in sexually explicit communication with someone he believed was a 14-year-old girl and arranged to meet for unlawful acts. Instead of meeting the minor at the agreed location, Riese encountered law enforcement agents who arrested him immediately.
This prosecution 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. The project involves collaboration among federal, state, and local resources to prosecute offenders and rescue victims.
The investigation involved Homeland Security Investigations, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Heather Knox led the prosecution.
Following his sentencing, Riese was remanded into custody under the supervision of the U.S. Marshals Service.
