Sioux Falls Man Charged with Transportation of Child Pornography

Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for two counts of Transportation of Child Pornography.

Terry Zoppe, age 45, was indicted on December 7, 2021.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on December 13, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, life of supervised release, and up to $200 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered.

The Indictment alleges that between September 19, 2017, and March 23, 2021, and again between April 18, 2020, and March 23, 2021, Zoppe knowingly transported child pornography using the Internet.  Zoppe uploaded graphic images and video files depicting one or more minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct into his Google Photos account.

The charges are merely accusations and Zoppe is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. 

The investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and the Division of Criminal Investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper is prosecuting the case.   

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