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Press Release

Sisseton Man Sentenced for Abusive Sexual Contact

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of South Dakota

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Sisseton, South Dakota, man convicted of abusive sexual contact was sentenced on June 3, 2019, by U.S. District Jude Charles B. Kornmann.

Joel Michael Max, age 30, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release.  He was ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. 

According to court documents, between March 23, 2018, and June 2, 2018, Max did knowingly engage in, and attempt to engage in, sexual contact with a child.  Max acted with an intent to abuse, humiliate, harass, and degrade the child, and to arouse and gratify his sexual desires. 

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe’s Law Enforcement.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.   

Max was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

Updated June 7, 2019