United States of America v. Matthew Zook

Sioux Falls, SD criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet



United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a man from Rapid City, South Dakota, convicted of Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet. The sentencing took place on September 29, 2025.



Matthew Zook, 46, was sentenced to ten years and one month in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $95 in restitution and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Forfeiture was also ordered.



A federal grand jury indicted Zook for the charge in June 2024. He pleaded guilty on July 15, 2025.



In April 2024, Zook used Snapchat to communicate with a 14-year-old minor female. Zook described how he would use condoms for birth control and discussed his desire to try different sex positions with the young girl. Zook told the girl the reason he wanted to have sex with her was because his mother was sick and his girlfriend was mad at him. On April 20, 2024, just after midnight, Zook drove to the minor's house and parked in her driveway. Unbeknownst to Zook, the minor had informed one of her parents, who alerted law enforcement. Zook was arrested while parked in the driveway. Zook was previously convicted in 2012 for Fourth Degree Rape of a minor when he was 33 years old, for which he received a suspended prison sentence.



This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the DOJ's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.



This case was investigated by the Rapid City Police Department, Pennington County Sheriff's Office, and the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case.



Zook was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

Ten years and one month in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $95 in restitution and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.