Sioux Falls Man Charged with Possession of Child Pornography

(Pierre) – Attorney General Mark Barnett is turning up the heat on South Dakotans possessing child pornography.

Mathew Mierkey, 36, of Sioux Falls was arrested yesterday on 50 counts of possession of child pornography. Mierkey is a registered sex offender. He was convicted in Kansas of two counts of aggravated sexual assault. His previous victims were nine and 10 year old females.

“Because of this guy’s criminal record we moved quickly. This guy was an immediate threat and we wanted him off the streets as soon as possible,” said Barnett.

South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation agents and the Sioux Falls Police Department searched Mierkey’s home on Monday.  They found thousands of child pornography images on his computer. 

The Division of Criminal Investigation in conjunction with the Sioux Falls Police Department and the Governor’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit investigated the case. 

The Attorney General’s Office and the Minnehaha County State’s Attorneys office will prosecute the case.

If found guilty, Mierkey could face 250 years in the prison.

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