Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Online Enticement of Minor in South Dakota

Northeast Radio SD News – Sioux Falls, SD - A Sioux Falls man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after being convicted of attempting to entice a minor online, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota.

Chief U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange handed down the sentence on September 14 for Ryan Nigro, 34, who was found guilty by a federal jury on June 4. In addition to the prison term, Nigro will serve five years of supervised release, must pay a $100 special assessment, and will be required to register as a sex offender for 25 years following his release.

Nigro’s conviction stems from an undercover operation targeting individuals using the internet to exploit children. According to federal prosecutors, Nigro initiated a conversation on Reddit with someone he believed to be a 12‑year‑old girl. During the exchange, he introduced sexual topics and arranged to meet the child at a local hotel. When Nigro arrived, he was arrested by law enforcement. The online persona was operated by a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agent.

The investigation involved multiple agencies, including HSI, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Sioux Falls Police Department, Watertown Police Department, Tea Police Department, Rapid City Police Department, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth E. Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case.

The prosecution was part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation by coordinating federal, state, and local resources. More information about the program is available at justice.gov/psc.

Nigro was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following sentencing.