South Dakota State Attorney's Office for the Department of Justice case roundup for Jan. 13, 2023

Jan. 15—RAPID CITY — The United States Attorney's Office for the District of South Dakota released five cases for the week of Jan. 13.

A Howard, S.D., man was sentenced after pleading guilty to production of child pornography charges.

Lee Thames, 26, was convicted following incidents between March 16, 2021, and April 29, 2021, when Thames intentionally used his cellular phone to take sexually explicit photographs of a minor female under the age of 12, and saved them to his Snapchat Memories account.

Thames was sentenced on December 27, 2022, to 26 years in federal prison, five years of supervised release, as well as a $100 fine to the Federal Crime Victims fund.

A Brookings, S.D., man was sentenced after pleading guilty to attempting to entice a minor using the internet.

Zachary Murray, 36, was indicted by a federal grand jury in April of 2022, following an incident that occurred on March 6, 2022.

Murray knowingly used his cell phone to attempt to persuade, induce, entice and coerce an undercover agent posing as a 14-year-old female to engage in sexual activity.

Murray was sentenced on Jan. 9, 2023, to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release and a $100 fine towards the Federal Crime Victims fund.

A Wanblee, S.D., man was charged after allegedly attempting to rob a bank.

Francis White Lance, 65, was indicted for the alleged robbery in November of 2022. The indictment alleges that on Nov. 7, 2022, White Lance took money belonging to Lakota Federal Credit Union at the Kyle, S.D., location. White Lance also allegedly brandished and discharged a firearm during the commission of the robbery.

White Lance pleaded not guilty to both the bank robbery charge and the discharge of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence charge on Jan. 10, 2023.

If convicted, White Lance may face a maximum penalty of life in prison, up to $250,000 in fines, five years of supervised release, and a fine of $200 to the Federal Crime Victims fund. Restitution may also be ordered by the court.

White Lance was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has been set for March 21, 2023.

Kansas City, M.O., man was sentenced for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

In the summer of 2021, Ricky Young, 39, and a co-conspirator rented a storage unit in Sioux Falls, S.D. The storage unit was intended to hold the controlled substances they obtained from Kansas City, in order to distribute them throughout the Sioux Falls area. Young would make trips with his co-conspirator to this storage unit and either retrieve or drop off crack cocaine to further their distribution.

Law enforcement obtained a search warrant, and on Oct. 1, 2021, found approximately 100 grams of a mixture containing cocaine base.

Young was indicted in April of 2022 and pleaded guilty on Oct. 7, 2022.

Young was sentenced on Jan. 9, 2023, to 12 years and seven months in federal prison, four years of supervised released, and a fine of $100 to the Federal Crime Victims fund.

A Rapid City, S.D., man was convicted for possession of firearm by a prohibited person.

In June of 2021, John Winn, 44, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, was found in possession of multiple guns. Authorities recovered a SIG Sauer Incorporated, model P320, 9x19 mm Parabellum caliber, semi-automatic pistol; a Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company, model Combat Commander, .45 AUTO caliber, semi-automatic pistol; a Sturm, Ruger & Company Incorporated, model LCR, .357 Magnum caliber, double-action-only revolver; and a Taurus, model PT145, .45 AUTO caliber, semi-automatic pistol, which were found after Winn came into contact with law enforcement.

The SIG Sauer firearm had been reported stolen and the Taurus firearm had an obliterated serial number.

Along with the firearms, law enforcement recovered numerous items consistent with drug distribution, including methamphetamine.

Winn was indicted by a federal grand jury in November of 2021, and pleaded guilty on August 31, 2022.

Winn was sentenced to nine years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, as well as a fine payment of $100 towards the Federal Crime Victims fund.