Rapid City Man Sentenced for Child Pornography Charge

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on February 5, 2024.

James W. Williams, 28, was sentenced to four years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Williams will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

Williams was indicted for Receipt of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography by a federal grand jury in May of 2021. He pleaded guilty on November 3, 2023.

Williams was federally indicted following a Cybertip from the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children in relation to suspected child pornography on Instagram. The Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce traced the account back to Williams and interviewed Williams. Williams ultimately admitted to receiving the child pornography via Instagram. A forensic examination of Williams’ phone revealed images and videos of child sexual abuse material that Williams received between November of 2019 and December of 2020.

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.

This case was investigated by the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case.

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