Authorities have arrested four men following a joint sex trafficking and child exploitation operation conducted during the 2025 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The suspects were taken into custody after allegedly attempting to meet with someone they believed to be a 14-year-old girl for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity.
The individuals charged are Elmer Hopper, 36, of Rapid City; Beau Remington, 23, of Black Hawk; Jason Gomez, 30, of Rapid City; and Joshua Michael Allen, 36, of Hermosa. Each faces federal charges of Attempted Enticement of a Minor using the Internet.
If convicted, the men face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, with the possibility of life imprisonment. They would also be subject to supervised release for a minimum of five years, potentially extending for life.
These arrests were made as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
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