Kyle Man Pleads Not Guilty to Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child and Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child

Acting U.S. Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Kyle, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child and Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child. Raymond Anthony Clifford, age 49, of Kyle, was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 22, 2009, for Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child and Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on October 1, 2009, and pled not guilty to a six-count indictment. The maximum penalty upon conviction for Abusive Sexual Contact is 20 years' imprisonment; Aggravated Sexual Abuse is any terms of years up to life, and Aggravated Sexual Abuse carries a mandatory minimum of 30 years' imprisonment up to life. All counts carry a $250,000 fine. The charges are merely accusations, and Clifford is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri is prosecuting the case. Clifford was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal. A trial date has not yet been set.