Officials with the U-S Department of Justice said today (Wednesday), a man from northwest Iowa was sentenced to prison Monday after being convicted for Use of Interstate Facilities to Transmit Information about a Minor. 30-year old Lance Eugene Hunter, of Little Rock, IA, was sentenced to 18 months in custody, 5 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Hunter was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 2, 2015.  He pled guilty on January 26th, 2016.  Hunter was ordered to self-surrender on May 2nd, 2016.

Authorities say Hunter responded to an advertisement on the Internet website of Backpage.com that was posted as part of a law enforcement undercover operation.  Using his cell phone to send text messages, Hunter agreed to meet at a location in Sioux Falls to have sex with a fictitious 15 year-old girl.  Law enforcement officers arrested Hunter after he attempted to leave the scene.  They found the cell phone used for text messages as well as $100 in cash.

The case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.