A federal jury in Rapid City has found Brandon Bishop, 38, guilty of attempted enticement of a minor. The verdict was delivered on September 23, 2025, after a two-day trial in federal district court.
According to U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell, Bishop was arrested and indicted in August 2024 following an undercover operation targeting internet predators during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Over five days, Bishop communicated via MeetMe and text messages with someone he believed to be a 13-year-old girl. The individual was actually an undercover Rapid City Police Detective assigned to the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
During these communications, Bishop requested explicit photos from the minor and described sexual acts. He also offered alcohol, drugs, and money in exchange for meeting him. On August 6, 2024, Bishop arrived at a gas station by bicycle to meet the minor but was confronted by law enforcement agents. He fled on foot and discarded his phone into a storm drain; investigators later recovered the device and found evidence related to the crime. Bishop claimed afterward that he thought he was communicating with an adult.
The conviction carries a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and could result in up to life imprisonment or a $250,000 fine. There is also a minimum of five years supervised release and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund; restitution may be ordered as well.
“This case was brought as 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. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and 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,” according to the press release.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Rapid City Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation has been ordered for Bishop with sentencing scheduled for January 12, 2026. He remains in custody under supervision of the U.S. Marshals Service.
