FORT PIERRE, S.D.(DRGNews)- A 66 year old man from Fort Pierre was sentenced to five years in the South Dakota State Penitentiary, with one year suspended, during a court hearing this week at the Stanley County Courthouse in Fort Pierre.

Stanley County State’s Attorney Tom Maher says the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor charge against Frank Loring Miller, Jr., comes from a June 16, 2022, incident involving offering a teenage minor money in exchange for sex. The charge is typically a Class 6 Felony, but Miller was on probation for a prior felony drug conviction. Because of that prior conviction, Maher says the charge was enhanced to a Class 5 Felony.

Miller plead guilty in June 2024.

Prior to sentencing, a Sixth Circuit Judge considered information contained in a pre-sentence investigation, a psycho-sexual evaluation and comments from all interested parties.

Miller will become eligible for parole after serving about 40% of the four-year prison sentence. He will also be required to complete sex-offender specific treatment, comply with sex-offender registration requirements and follow any other court-mandated rules.

Maher says the case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Stanley County’s Sheriff’s Office.