Davenport Man Sentenced to Prison for Enticement of a Minor

DAVENPORT, IA – On March 6, 2016, John Michael Riepe, 31, of Davenport, Iowa, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose to 151 months in prison for enticement of a minor, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin E. VanderSchel. Riepe was ordered to serve ten years of supervised release following his prison term and to pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund. Riepe was also ordered to comply with sex offender registry requirements and have no contact with any minors under the age of 18 years old.

Riepe was found guilty of enticement of a minor on August 19, 2015, after a three day jury trial. At trial, evidence was presented that Riepe sent a letter to a minor student at Pleasant Valley High School providing a picture and his phone number. The letter was turned over to the Scott County Sheriff’s Office. Det. Rachelle Kunde initiated contact with Riepe at the phone number he provided, and purported to be the minor victim. The two sent text messages back and forth beginning in September 2014. In the text messages, Riepe suggested meeting and having sexual contact. On October 30, 2014, Riepe was arrested when he arrived at a location where he intended to pick up the minor victim.

Additional evidence presented at trial showed Riepe had initiated prior contacts with several minor females in the past, which led to being banned from area high schools and their facilities.

This matter was investigated by the Scott County Sheriff’s Department, United States Marshals Service, Bettendorf Police Department, Davenport Police Department, and the Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the Project Safe Childhood initiative.