Rapid City Man Indicted for Failure to Register as Sex Offender

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.

Rydell Iron Rope, age 47, was indicted on September 1, 2020.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on September 9, 2020, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.  

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 5 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered.

Iron Rope was convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in September 1996.  As a result of the conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender. The Indictment alleges between June 1, 2019, and August 1, 2019, and between December 1, 2019, and February 1, 2020, as well as, March 16, 2020, and May 8, 2020, Iron Rope, a person required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, failed to properly register as a sex offender and update his registration.

The charge is merely an accusation and Iron Rope is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. 

The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, and the Rapid City Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller is prosecuting the case.   

Iron Rope was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial.  A trial date has not been set.