United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Attempted Possession of Child Pornography was sentenced on February 4, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Michael Ray Hudson, age 34, was sentenced to two and a half 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. Hudson will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Hudson was arrested and federally indicted as a result of an undercover sex trafficking operation conducted during the 2020 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, targeting internet predators. Hudson initiated sexual chats and sought images of child pornography from a person he believed to be a 15-year-old boy, but who was in fact an undercover agent. Hudson then negotiated a time and place he would meet the minor to engage in unlawful sex acts. When Hudson 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.
Hudson was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.