SIOUX FALLS — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - South Dakota), published as received.

SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man for two counts of Production of Child Pornography and two counts of kidnapping.

Derek Wayne Rondeau, age 32, was indicted in January of 2023. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on March 27, 2023, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, life of supervised release, and $400 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.

The Indictment alleges that on June 9, 2022, and again on June 15, 2023, Rondeau kidnapped two juvenile females and knowingly employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced them to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of such conduct.  Rondeau also knew and had reason to know that such depictions would be transported in interstate and foreign commerce, or mailed, shipped, and transported in interstate and foreign commerce, including by a computer.

The charges are merely accusations and Rondeau is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. 

The investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper is prosecuting 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.

Rondeau was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial.  A trial date has not been set.