Sturgis Man Sentenced for Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography

Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Sturgis, South Dakota, man convicted of Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography was sentenced on November 22, 2021, by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken.

William Nicholas Riley, age 61, was sentenced to six 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 and a $5,000 special assessment to the Victims of Trafficking Fund.  Riley will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

Riley was arrested and federally indicted as a result of an undercover sex trafficking operation conducted during the 2020 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, targeting internet predators.  Riley initiated sexual chats and sought images of child pornography from a person he believed to be a 15-year-old girl, but who was in fact an undercover agent.  Riley then negotiated a time and place he would meet the minor to engage in unlawful sex acts.  When Riley went to the pre-determined location to meet the minor, he was met by law enforcement and placed under arrest.

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

Riley was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.