Minnesota Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child Pornography

ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Minnesota man for Production of Child Pornography. Jason Honetschlager, age 45, was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2023. He pleaded guilty on September 30, 2024.

On June 16, 2025, Honetschlager was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison. He must register as a sex offender upon release.

The investigation discovered that throughout 2023, Honetschlager targeted teenagers in the Milbank, South Dakota, area for sexually explicit images and acts. He enticed minor children via Snapchat and bought them tobacco and marijuana products in exchange for the images and acts. His behavior came to law enforcement’s attention when a video surfaced of him forcing a young teenage girl to perform oral sex on him. The investigation discovered 8 minor victims.

“Honetschlager’s actions are almost unspeakable,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell, “but unfortunately, this type of conduct is becoming more commonplace on social media platforms. We are fortunate to have sophisticated and dedicated law enforcement agents and prosecutors working to hold these offenders responsible, but it is imperative we all join the fight against child exploitation. Talk frequently and openly with your children about their use of social media and be on the lookout for behavior indicative of exploitation, such as abruptly deleting social media accounts or frequently creating new accounts; turning off or hiding devices in the presence of a parent or other adult; clearing web browser histories; and unexplained money or gift cards.”

This case was investigated by the Milbank Police Department, the Division of Criminal Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

Honetschlager was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.