8 men arrested during Sturgis undercover sting

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By Bob D'Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

STURGIS, S.D. — Eight men were arrested in a sex trafficking operation during the last weekend’s Sturgis Motorcycle rally in South Dakota.

According to a news release, U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons said that the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted a joint sex trafficking operation from Aug. 7, 2020, and continued through Thursday.

The operation was conducted jointly by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, the Argus Leader reported.

According to the release, the men arrested were:

  • Robert Lee Goodwill, Jr., 20, Rapid City, South Dakota -- Attempted commercial sex trafficking of a minor. According to court federal documents, Goodwill talked with an undercover agent in a chatroom on Aug. 7 and had agreed to pay more than $100 to have sex with who he thought was a 15-year-old girl, the Argus Leader.
  • Cody Wayne Hopkins, 29, Montgomery, Pennsylvania -- Attempted enticement of a minor using the internet. According to court federal documents, Hopkins, spoke with an agent posing as a 13-year-old girl.
  • Michael Ray Hudson, 32, Rapid City, South Dakota -- Attempted enticement of a minor using the internet. Hudson started a conversation with an undercover agent over the dating site Adam4Adam, according to court documents. He told the agent, posing as a 15-year-old, that he would bring alcohol in exchange for sex.
  • Travis John McDonald, 28, Rapid City, South Dakota -- Attempted enticement of a minor using the internet. McDonald chatted with an agent posing as a 13-year-old on MeetMe, according to a federal complaint.
  • William Nicholas Riley, 60, Sturgis, South Dakota -- Attempted enticement of a minor using the internet. According to court documents, Riley conversed with an agent posing as a 15-year-old on Craigslist. He asked for photos and said he wanted to have sex.
  • Kevin William Clements, 22, Claysville, Pennsylvania -- Attempted commercial sex trafficking of a minor. Clements conversed with an agent posing as a 13-year-old who would perform sex acts for money. Chatting over the application Badoo, Clements said he would pay at least $100.
  • Darren Wilber Harrison, 25, Rapid City, South Dakota -- Attempted enticement of a minor using the internet. Harrison messaged an agent posing as a 15-year-old on Craigslist and said he wanted to have sex, according to court documents. Harrison admitted he knew he would get in trouble if caught having sex with a minor.
  • Christopher Covey Dale Truax, 33, Rapid City, South Dakota -- Attempted enticement of a minor using the internet. Truax conversed with an agent posing as a 13-year-old on the dating application Tinder, according to court documents. Truax made comments about having sex with the alleged teen.

If convicted, the mandatory minimum penalty for attempted commercial sex trafficking of a minor is 15 years if the victim is under 14 years of age, and 10 years if the victim is between 14 and 17 years of age, KMEG reported. The maximum penalty is up to life in federal prison.