Law enforcement arrested two men last week for trying to set up sex with minors.
James Murphy, 22, of Sioux Falls and Elijah Wilson, 24, of Sioux Falls each face charges stemming from an undercover operation. The two men are the latest round of arrests in human trafficking and crimes against children.
Local, state and federal officials arrested two men who responded to online ads for sex with a minor and showed up to follow through on the deals. Each faces a felony count of solicitation of a minor. That carries a maximum of a decade in prison and a $20,000 fine.
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley says the tactics are similar to the To-Catch-A-Predator scenarios that gain national attention. He says the investigation starts when authorities post fake ads online offering sex for money and people respond.
"And then the individuals take yet a further step in furtherance of the crime against children in they may arrive at a scene, a selected location, to have the money available with a further exchange," Jackley says. "Then of course, once that exchange is complete, law enforcement takes the appropriate actions."
Jackley says people trying to buy sex don’t have to hand over cash to commit a crime; he says even responding to a sex ad is illegal.
Jackley says this is the fourth sting operation in the state. Counting the latest crimes, authorities have arrested 13 people.