RAPID CITY — A Nebraska man is in federal custody after prosecutors say he crossed state lines to kidnap and sexually abuse a 13-year-old girl in South Dakota before taking her to Wyoming.
A federal grand jury on Nov. 7 indicted 33-year-old Sean Carlos Payne, of Bellevue, Nebraska, on four federal charges, including kidnapping, sexual exploitation of a minor, transportation of a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and enticement of a minor using the internet.
The case became public after a federal judge in Rapid City unsealed it on Monday, Nov. 18.
According to prosecutors, Payne, while in Nebraska, used various internet-based applications and chat platforms to communicate with a 13-year-old South Dakota girl between Oct. 1 and Oct. 20. He’s accused of using those platforms to solicit sexually explicit images of the girl and sexually abusing her.
On Oct. 21, prosecutors say Payne kidnapped the girl and fled South Dakota. Law enforcement eventually located Payne near Rawlins, Wyoming, where he’s accused of fleeing from a traffic stop at high speeds with the girl in his vehicle.
Together, local, state and federal law enforcement agencies were able to take Payne into custody. In a Nov. 18 court appearance, Payne pleaded not guilty to all federal charges. It’s unclear if he’s been charged by local prosecutors in Nebraska, South Dakota or Wyoming.
Payne has an extensive multi-state criminal history, including an Iowa conviction from June 2024 for attempted enticement of a minor. He also has been charged in Nebraska with aggravated assault, domestic violence and terroristic threats, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The Meade County Sheriff’s Office said Payne is a registered sex offender, and, at the time of the alleged kidnapping, was wanted by authorities in Nebraska.
Those factors could come into play during sentencing. The minimum penalty, should Payne be convicted in federal court, is 20 years. The maximum is life in federal prison.
Payne was ordered to remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. A trial date has not yet been set.
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