Seven Men Arrested in Multi-Agency Sex Trafficking Operation

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Ellsworth AFB Office of Special Investigations, the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rapid City Police Department conducted a joint sex-trafficking operation during the 2024 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally designed to apprehend persons attempting to arrange sexual encounters with underage children. The operation began on August 2, 2024, and continued through August 8, 2024.  

As a result, the following seven men were arrested and charged:

Brockton Dominquez, 26, Rapid City – Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet

Eli Poorman, 20, Rapid City – Attempted Commercial Sex Trafficking of a Minor

Dustin Day, 20, Piedmont – Attempted Commercial Sex Trafficking of a Minor

Vance Coats, 25, Box Elder – Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet

Brandon Bishop, 36, Rapid City – Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet

Corey Simon, 36, Rapid City – Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet

Aaron Ray Williams, Jr., 23, Rapid City – Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet

“Once again, this operation demonstrates the sad reality that there are individuals in our communities who are using the Internet to target young girls for sex,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “We are grateful to our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, who regularly collaborate to safeguard children across South Dakota. Because of their work, the Rapid City community is a little safer this week.”

The mandatory minimum penalty upon conviction for Attempted Commercial Sex Trafficking of a Minor under the age of fourteen is 15 years up to 30 years in federal prison; and any term of years, not less than five, up to lifetime supervised release.

The mandatory minimum penalty upon conviction for Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet is 10 years up to life in federal prison; and any term of years, not less than five, up to lifetime supervised release.

The charges are merely accusations, and all seven defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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.

The cases are being federally prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox.