Sean Carlos Payne, 34, of Bellevue, Nebraska, has been sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting a 13-year-old South Dakota girl and transporting her across state lines. He pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.
The crimes occurred in late 2024, when Payne used platforms like Teen Chat, Discord, and Snapchat to groom the victim. He assaulted her in South Dakota, then fled with her to Wyoming, where he was arrested after a high-speed chase.
At the time, Payne was already a convicted sex offender from Iowa and in violation of probation and registry laws. He will also serve 10 years of supervised release and pay $300 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The case was investigated by federal and local agencies, including the FBI and Meade County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox.
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