Rapid City Man Indicted on Child Pornography Charges

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man was charged in federal district court with Receipt of Child Pornography, Possession of Child Pornography, and Transportation of Obscene Matter.  

Michael Richard Hanson, age 52, was charged on July 16, 2019.  Hanson appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on July 19, 2019, and pleaded not guilty to the charges.  The maximum penalty upon conviction is 20 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, lifetime supervised release, and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered.

The charges relate to Hanson receiving and possessing computer images of child pornography, as well as obscene matter, at Rapid City between September 2010 and June 2019.  The charges are merely an accusation and Hanson is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. 

The investigation is being conducted by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins is prosecuting the case.

Hanson was detained pending trial.  A trial date has not been set.