Rushmore State News

Four men from South Dakota have been arrested and face federal charges following a joint law enforcement operation targeting child exploitation during the 2025 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The operation was conducted by several agencies, including the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, Ellsworth AFB Office of Special Investigations, U.S. Marshals Service, and the FBI.

“This sophisticated sting operation pulled together local, state, and federal law enforcement resources to take dangerous sexual predators off the streets and out of our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “We are fortunate here in South Dakota to have officers, agents, and detectives who collaborate each and every day to protect children throughout the state. Now that the operation has safely concluded, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is pleased to announce that four local men have been arrested and will be held to account in federal court.”

According to authorities, all four individuals were apprehended while attempting to meet with someone they believed was a 14-year-old girl for sexual activity.

The men charged are:

- Elmer Hopper, 36, Rapid City — Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet.

- Beau Remington, 23, Black Hawk — Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet; Attempted Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor.

- Jayson “Javi” Gomez, 30, Rapid City — Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet.

- Joshua Michael Allen, 36, Hermosa — Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet.

“All the individuals who were arrested in this operation are South Dakota residents,” said South Dakota ICAC Task Force Commander Toby Russell. “This is a sad statistic for our state, but it is a reminder why these operations and investigations are so important. The level of support, cooperation, and teamwork between local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies during this operation is unique and does not happen elsewhere. This operation is truly a team effort. All the law enforcement personnel who participated in this operation and the members of the South Dakota ICAC Task Force work tirelessly every day to keep the children of South Dakota safe. They should all be commended for their tenacity and professionalism in how they pursue these offenders.”

If convicted on attempted enticement charges under federal law—one count faced by each defendant—the mandatory minimum sentence ranges from ten years up to life imprisonment with supervised release lasting at least five years up to life.

These cases fall under Project Safe Childhood (https://www.justice.gov/psc), an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation through coordination among federal prosecutors’ offices as well as other agencies nationwide.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox is prosecuting these cases federally.

Authorities remind that all charges remain accusations until proven otherwise in court; each defendant is presumed innocent unless found guilty.