A federal jury in Sioux Falls has found Nicholas Keitges, 33, of Vermillion, South Dakota, guilty on multiple child pornography charges. The verdict was delivered on January 22, 2026, after a three-day trial.
Keitges was convicted of attempted production of child pornography, two counts of receipt and transportation of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. Attempted production carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and up to 30 years. Receipt and transportation have a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years. Possession can result in up to ten years in prison. Each count may also include fines up to $250,000, supervised release for at least five years or up to life, and a $400 special assessment for the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The indictment against Keitges was issued by a federal grand jury in November 2023.
According to court documents and testimony during the trial, Keitges used online platforms Omegle and Snapchat in April 2022 to contact a 14-year-old girl from the Sioux Falls area. He groomed her online and tried to coerce her into sending sexually explicit images. The minor became frightened and contacted law enforcement. Investigators from the Sioux Falls Police Department, South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, and Homeland Security Investigations identified Keitges as the perpetrator.
In April 2023, the South Dakota ICAC Task Force received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The investigation revealed that Keitges had used Dropbox and Google Gmail accounts to transport files containing child pornography.
“Thanks to the efforts of this incredible team of law enforcement officers, this defendant now stands convicted of federal charges associated with his reprehensible and illegal activities,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “We will do everything we can to ensure he stays in federal prison and away from your children for as long as possible under the law.”
The case was investigated by several agencies including the Sioux Falls Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), South Dakota ICAC Task Force, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood—a national initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006—to address child sexual exploitation through coordination among federal, state, and local resources. More information about Project Safe Childhood is available at https://www.justice.gov/psc.
A presentence investigation has been ordered for Keitges with sentencing scheduled for April 13, 2026; he remains in custody with the U.S. Marshals Service.
