South Dakota Alerted To Sex Offenders Upcoming Release

The South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation is mandated by state and federal laws to establish and maintain a registry of convicted sex offenders living in South Dakota. The purpose of this registry is to provide information to the public regarding offenders living within their community.

Currently, there are more than 4,100 convicted sex offenders registered in South Dakota.

Recently, the South Dakota Department of Corrections announced that a high-risk offender is to be released to the Sioux Falls area this week.

In a story posted by Dakota News Now, 28-year-old James Hanscom who was serving time for attempted sexual contact with a child is scheduled for release from the Minnehaha County Jail after serving more than serving a sentence of six years and eight months. Hanscom’s sentence expires on July 20.

Wasko states, “Based on his criminal history and institutional assessments that indicate a high risk to re-offend, I am alerting law enforcement and the public of this offender’s pending release from prison.”

Hanscom is white, 5 feet 6 inches tall, and weighs approximately 212 pounds. He has black hair and green eyes, according to the Dakota News Now report.

AN OFFENDER MUST

• Register within three (3) business days of coming into any county to reside, temporarily domicile, attend school, attend post-secondary education classes or work.
• Any change of residence address or location requires the offender to submit, within three (3) business days of the move, a Registration Update form to the law enforcement agency where the offender last registered.
• Offenders must register every (6) six months.
• Any vehicle registration status change of a vehicle the offender owns shall be reported to the registering law enforcement agency within three (3) business days.
  May NOT establish a residence or reside within a "community safety zone".

Since the introduction of the South Dakota Sex Offender Registry (SOR) there have been numerous changes.

"The sex offender registration laws in SDCL 22-24B-1 through 22-24B-37 apply to any person who has been convicted (either upon a verdict or a plea of guilty or plea of nolo contendere), or who has received a suspended imposition of sentence that has not been discharged pursuant to SDCL (23A-27-14), of a sex crime as defined in SDCL 22-24B-1, including convictions for attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation of sex crimes as defined in SDCL 22-24B-1."