Sex trafficking sting nets 8 arrests

Eight men were snared in the sex trafficking sting conducted during the Sturgis Rally this year; six of them from South Dakota.

All were arrested on the charge of attempted enticement of a minor using the internet. They are:

• Marshall Brown, 26, Ellsworth AFB; also charged with attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor

• Duane Hosek, 61, Rapid City; also charged with attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor

• Ryan Kammerer, 26, Box Elder

• Brendan Leiter, 24, Elkhart, Ind.

• Noah Schottenstein, 27, Rapid City

• Andries Snyman, 42, Isabel, S.D.

• Cody Two Lance, 33, Rapid City; also charged with attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor

• Joel Zupnik, 51, Fort Collins, Colo.

For the past several years, the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task (made up of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies) conducted the undercover investigation into sex trafficking in Rapid City.

“Despite the intense publicity and focus on human trafficking these past few years, these undercover operations serve as a somber reminder that some people will throw caution to the wind and succumb to their perverted instincts,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Seiler.

The mandatory minimum penalty upon conviction for attempted enticement of a minor using the internet is 10 years in prison, up to life. Hosek, Two Lance and Brown, could face an additional 10 years in prison if convicted of the attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor.

Agencies involved in the operation include the South Dakota Attorney General's Office, Rapid City Police Department, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Sturgis Police Department and Homeland Security.