United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell has announced the sentencing of Jeffrey Michael Dicus, a 40-year-old resident of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, for the transportation of child pornography. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier on December 16, 2024.
Dicus received a prison term of 12 years and seven months in federal custody. Following his incarceration, he will undergo five years of supervised release and is required to pay $3,000 in restitution along with a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. He will also be obligated to register as a sex offender upon his release.
The charges against Dicus were based on activities spanning from January 5, 2017, to February 8, 2023. During this period, Dicus utilized his Dropbox account to transport child pornography. His account was established in 2017 and was used for trading images and videos depicting sexually explicit conduct involving victims as young as toddlers with other individuals online. Authorities found over 5,000 videos and nearly 20,000 images in his possession.
This prosecution falls under Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project involves collaboration among federal, state, and local resources to apprehend offenders and rescue victims.
The investigation leading to Dicus's conviction was conducted by the Sioux Falls Police Department alongside Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Ebert-Webb led the prosecution efforts.
Following his sentencing, Dicus was placed into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service.