Sex offender arrested for soliciting sex from minor

A Rapid City sex offender told authorities he tried to have sex with a 15-year-old girl and had been sending nude photos of himself to several other minors.

Ryan Lee Balster faces one count of federal enticement of a minor using the internet.

According to a federal affidavit:

On May 22, the Rapid City Police Department was called by the victim’s father saying his daughter had been receiving inappropriate text messages from an unknown person.

Balster sent a photo of his genitals to the girl and asked for a photo back. He did not get one.

The next day, authorities started a text message conversation with Balster claiming to be the 15-year-old girl. During the conversation, Balster sent another picture of his genitals and talked about wanting to meet for sex.

Balster set up a meeting time and location with the girl. He showed up at Stevens High School in the parking lot of the tennis court, where he was arrested.

“I can’t go through this again,” he said during his arrest.

Balster has a previous conviction on a federal charge of travel with intent to engage in illicitly sexual conduct in Minnesota.

Balster told authorities that he was at the school to meet a 15-year-old he was going to talk to and have sex with. He said he picked up her number randomly.

He then told authorities he had been communicating with several unidentified minors and admitted to sending them photos of his genitals.