Man caught in sex-trafficking sting pleads guilty

A Sioux Falls man caught soliciting sex from two 13-year-old girls during a sex-trafficking sting last year pleaded guilty to travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.

Elijah Wilson, 25, appeared briefly in federal court Monday. Prosecutors agreed to drop a commercial sex trafficking charge in exchange for his guilty plea.

He faces up to 30 years in prison at his sentencing June 15.

The undercover operation in Sioux Falls was conducted March 20, 2014, by the Sioux Falls Area Human Trafficking Task Force and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Detectives posted online ads for escort services.

According to court documents, Wilson responded to an ad on backpage.com offering a "unique weekend opportunity" involving "2 very special little gurlz."

During the next hour, police emailed Wilson small age-regressed photographs of two adult female officer who were described as being 13-year-olds, the court documents say.

Authorities and Wilson discussed an amount he would pay for the young girls.

Wilson left his residence and drove to the vicinity of a truck stop on North Cliff Avenue, where officers were trying to set up a meeting.

For the next four hours, Wilson drove around the area and kept in sporadic contact with officers through calls and text messages.

One text from Wilson contained a sexually explicit reference, the court documents say.

Although Wilson never met the officers at the truck stop, police eventually pulled him over and arrested him.

During an interview at the Law Enforcement Center, Wilson told authorities he was attempting to hire to advertised young girls in order to transport them from South Dakota to a party that was to take place in Des Monies, the documents say.

Blog: Read Mark Walker's Cross Examination blog here. Follow him on Twitter @ArgusMWalker.

Argus 911: Get more crime and safety news at Argus911.com, @Argus911 and on Facebook.