Mission Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender was sentenced on April 15, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.

Benjamen T. Flute, a/k/a Benjamin T. Flute, age 39, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Flute was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 11, 2018.  He pled guilty on February 7, 2019.

Flute was convicted of Second-Degree Rape in Caddo County, Oklahoma, in December 2007.  As a result of this conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender and to update his registration within three business days of relocation or changing employment.  In 2017, Flute was convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender in the District of South Dakota, after he moved from Oklahoma to Mission and did not update his registration.  In September 2018, Flute was residing in Rapid City, South Dakota.  He subsequently moved to Mission but did not update his registration.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.

Flute was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.