PIERRE — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - South Dakota), published as received.
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on August 24, 2026.
Joseph Running, age 31, was sentenced to 13 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Running was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2025. He pleaded guilty on May 6, 2026.
Running was convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact in United States District Court, District of South Dakota in June 2020. As a result of his conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender and update his registration within three business days of relocation, a change in employment, or a change in student status. In March 2025, Running updated his sex offender registration to reflect that he was residing at a residence in Rosebud, SD. He left that residence in September 2025 and did not update his registration. An arrest warrant was issued, and on November 18, 2025, Running was arrested in Rosebud, SD.
This case was brought as a 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. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Unit 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.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Zachrison prosecuted the case.
Running was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
