Norris man sentenced to federal prison for failing to register as a sex offender

NORRIS, S.D. - A 41-year-old Norris, South Dakota man has been sentenced to one year and one month in federal prison for failing to register as a sex offender. Harold White Hat was convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact in 2022 involving a 13-year-old girl, requiring him to register as a sex offender and update his registration within three business days of moving or changing employment. However, in July 2024, White Hat left his registered address in Sioux Falls without updated his sex offender status, violating federal law. Authorities arrested him in Todd County, South Dakota, on Aug. 23, 2024.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The program brings together federal, state, and local resources to identify offenders, prosecute crimes, and rescue victims.