A 37-year-old Rapid City man has been sentenced to a decade in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges involving the attempted online enticement of a minor.
Elmer Hopper was sentenced this week following his admission that he used the internet to communicate with someone he believed to be a 14-year-old girl. In reality, the individual was an undercover law enforcement agent conducting an online investigation targeting individuals seeking contact with minors.
According to court documents, Hopper engaged in conversations over the internet and ultimately arranged to meet the person in Rapid City. Authorities arrested him when he arrived at West Middle School, the agreed-upon meeting location, where he believed he would encounter the juvenile.
Hopper entered a guilty plea ahead of trial, avoiding further court proceedings. As part of the sentencing process, the court reviewed letters submitted by family members and friends. In those statements, Hopper was described as “kind” and someone who had “led an ordinary life” prior to his arrest.
Despite those character references, the court imposed a 10-year prison sentence, citing the seriousness of the offense and the need to protect the public.
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