A 52-year-old man has been sentenced to 15 years in the South Dakota State Penitentiary for sexually abusing children.
Jared Wickenhagen received the maximum sentence on two counts of sexual contact with a minor under the age of 16, with the sentences ordered to run concurrently. The abuse occurred between April 2017 and August 2018 but was not reported by the victims until 2024.
During sentencing, the victims and family members described the lasting trauma caused by the abuse. The court determined Wickenhagen posed a danger to children, citing a psychosexual evaluation that found him to be at above-average risk to reoffend. He also has a prior sex offense conviction and was on parole at the time of the crimes.
Senior Deputy State’s Attorney Alexa Moeller prosecuted the case. Sexual contact with a minor under 16 is a Class 3 felony in South Dakota.
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