Brookings man sentenced in federal court for attempting to entice a minor

A Brookings man has been sentenced in federal court for Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet.

Thirty-six-year-old Zachary Scott Murray was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

Murray was indicted by a federal grand jury in April of last year and pleaded guilty in October.

The conviction stemmed from an incident last March when Murray used his cell phone to try and persuade an undercover agent posing as a 14 year-old girl to engage in sexual activity.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security with the assistance of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and South Dakota law enforcement.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.

January 17, 2023