Sturgis man sentenced on possession of child pornography

STURGIS, S.D. (AP) — A Sturgis man convicted of possession of child pornography has been sentenced to three years in federal prison. The Rapid City Journal reports 28-year-old Sean Gertsch’s conviction stemmed from an undercover sting operation targeting people using the internet to meet minors for sex at the 2019 Sturgis motorcycle rally.

The operation targeted “online predators” by posting or creating profiles on Craigslist and dating and chatting apps. The sting was conducted by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigations, federal Homeland Security Investigations and local agencies.