A man from Yankton convicted of two counts of Production of Child Pornography is sitting in a federal prison. 34 year old Robert Barbetti was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison plus 8 years of supervised release. He’s also required to register as a sex offender.
An investigation into several cyber tips led to the discovery that between 2018 and 2023, Barbetti had been using various online social media platforms, including SnapChat and Wink, to target minor children and coerce them into producing child sexual exploitation materials at Barbetti’s direction and for his sexual gratification.
This case was investigated by the FBI, DCI, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
A federal grand jury indicted Barbetti in February 2024. He pleaded guilty on April 6, 2026 and sentenced July 6th.