Vermillion Man Convicted of Child Pornography Charges Following Federal Jury Trial

SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a jury has convicted Nicholas Keitges, age 33, of Vermillion, South Dakota, of Attempted Production of Child Pornography, two counts of Receipt and Transportation of Child Pornography, and Possession of Child Pornography, following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Sioux Falls. The verdict was returned on January 22, 2026.

The charge of Attempted Production of Child Pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a possible maximum of 30 years. Receipt and Transportation of Child Pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in federal prison and a possible maximum of 20 years in prison. Possession of Child Pornography carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. Each count is also subject to a fine of up to $250,000, and at least five years and up to life of supervised release, and $400 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Keitges was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2023.

In April 2022, Keitges used several online platforms, Omegle and Snapchat, to befriend a 14-year-old girl in the Sioux Falls area. He sexually groomed her and attempted to coerce her into producing sexually explicit images of her genitalia. The minor got scared and law enforcement was called. Through a thorough investigation by the Sioux Falls Police Department, the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, and Homeland Security Investigations, Keitges was identified as the online perpetrator. He was later arrested, charged, and now stands convicted.

Then in April 2023, the South Dakota ICAC Task Force received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Law enforcement's investigation into that CyberTip discovered that Keitges had been using his Dropbox and Google Gmail accounts to transport multiple files of child pornography. Again, Keitges was identified as this online perpetrator.

"Thanks to the efforts of this incredible team of law enforcement officers, this defendant now stands convicted of federal charges associated with his reprehensible and illegal activities," said U.S. Attorney Parsons. "We will do everything we can to ensure he stays in federal prison and away from your children for as long as possible under the law."

This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department, South Dakota DCI, South Dakota ICAC Task Force, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the DOJ's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date has been set for April 13, 2026. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.