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Press Release

Wyoming Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Attempted Enticement of a Minor

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of South Dakota

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Casper, Wyoming, man convicted of Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet following a federal jury trial was sentenced on November 20, 2020, by Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.  

Japher Rajab, age 43, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by  5 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Rajab also will be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

Rajab was one of eleven men who were arrested and federally indicted as a result of an undercover sex trafficking operation conducted during the 2019 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally targeting internet predators.  The conviction stemmed from Rajab communicating with someone he believed to be a 15 year-old girl, but who was in fact an undercover agent.  Following multiple chats and text messages Rajab proceeded to negotiate a time and place he would meet the minor to engage in unlawful sex acts.

The undercover operation and arrests were a joint effort between the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Rapid City Police Department, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Collins prosecuted the case.

Rajab was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

Updated December 14, 2020