Pierre Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Pierre, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender was sentenced on August 6, 2018, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.

William Rivers, age 61, was sentenced to 14 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.

Rivers was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 14, 2018.  He pled guilty on May 23, 2018.

Rivers was convicted of Sexual Abuse in June 1992.  As a result of this conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender.  On December 30, 2017, the Pierre Police Department responded to a report of an assault at the Econo Lodge Motel in Pierre.  The responding officers made contact with Rivers, determined he was out of compliance with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and subsequently arrested him for failure to register as a sex offender. 

On January 13, 2018, Rivers was released on bond from the Hughes County Jail in Pierre.  On January 22, 2018, Rivers registered as a sex offender with Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services in Eagle Butte, South Dakota.  Between January 13, 2018, and January 22, 2018, Rivers was aware that he was required to update his sex offender registration within three business days after each change of residence, employment or student status and, he failed to do so during that time period.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Pierre Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk W. Albertson prosecuted the case.

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