A Fort Pierre, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Sexual Exploitation of a Child; Distribution of Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors; and Possession of Child Pornography.
James Cadwell, age 39, was indicted on November 10, 2020. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on December 9, 2020, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is a mandatory minimum of 15 years up to 30 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 5 years up to life of supervised release years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on October 26, 2020, Cadwell knowingly produced, distributed, and possessed child pornography.
The charges are merely accusations and Cadwell is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pierre Police Department, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore is prosecuting the case.
Cadwell was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.