Little Eagle Man Convicted of Child Pornography

United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that Chavez Spotted Horse, age 40, of Little Eagle, South Dakota, was found guilty of Receipt of Images Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of Minors and Possession of Child Pornography as a result of a federal jury trial in Aberdeen, South Dakota. 

The charges carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in custody and/or a $500,000 fine, life of supervised release, and a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  

Spotted Horse was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 15, 2017. 

The convictions stem from the execution of a search warrant on November 3, 2015, at the home of the defendant in Little Eagle. Seized during this search were multiple computers, hard drives, and other electronic devices.  Analysis discovered images of child pornography on three separate hard drives, located within two computers.  Also discovered were tools and programs designed to erase the images and hide the IP address of the defendant as he viewed images of child pornography.    

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security Homeland Security Investigations, the North Dakota Crime Bureau’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation-Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the BIA-OJS Standing Rock Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.

A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date was set for January 4, 2018. Spotted Horse was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.