Court weighs release of records in Sanford child porn probe

Mar 23, 2023, 4:00 PM

BROOKINGS, S.D. (AP) — Attorneys took their fight over whether to unseal more documents in the 2019 child pornography investigation of billionaire banker and philanthropist T. Denny Sanford to the South Dakota Supreme Court on Thursday.

Sanford is seeking to bar the release of affidavits used to issue search warrants in the case. But the Argus Leader and ProPublica contend they should be public. Also at issue is what should be redacted if the affidavits are released.

The two news outlets were the first to report on the investigation into Sanford that began in 2019. That’s when state investigators began searching Sanford’s email account, as well as his cellular and internet service providers, for possible possession of child pornography after his accounts were flagged by a technology firm.

The South Dakota attorney general’s office declined to file charges against Sanford after the probe, saying it found no prosecutable offenses within the state’s jurisdiction.

Court documents in the case initially were sealed and referred only to “an implicated individual,” leading the Argus Leader and ProPublica to go to court seeking access to the records.

The search warrants were unsealed in 2021, identifying Sanford by name for the first time, but the affidavits remained sealed.

Jon Arneson and Jeff Beck, lawyers for the Argus Leader and ProPublica, said they should be allowed to determine what personal identifying information should be redacted in the affidavits.

“We’re not asking this court to craft some redaction statute or to interpret state statute,” he said. “The statute is clear, that is an open document for public access. Now, if there’s something in there they don’t want, then they can follow the statute.”

Such redacted information typically includes phone numbers, names of minors, Social Security numbers and addresses. Sanford’s attorney, Stacey Hegge, argued Sanford should be able to see if there’s any disclosure of trade secrets in the affidavits.

Sanford, who is in his 80s, is worth an estimated $3.4 billion. He made a fortune as the founder of First Premier Bank in South Dakota, which is known for issuing high-interest credit cards to those with poor credit.

He has donated greatly to the hospital that carries his name, Sanford Health, which is based in Sioux Falls and has major medical centers in Fargo and Bismarck, North Dakota, and Bemidji, Minnesota.

Judges will make their determination on the request to unseal the affidavits in later months.

United States News

FiLE - Linda Jincks and her husband Rodger talk with driller Shane Harris as his crew drills a new ...

Associated Press

Oregon to crack down on illegal pot growers by holding landowners responsible

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon has long been known as a mecca for high-quality marijuana, but that reputation has come with a downside: illegal growers who offer huge amounts of cash to lease or buy land and then leave behind pollution, garbage and a drained water table. Now, a bill passed by the Oregon Legislature […]

23 hours ago

A passenger rides a mostly empty Muni streetcar in San Francisco, Tuesday, June 6, 2023. California...

Associated Press

Car-obsessed California seeks to follow New York’s lead and save public transit

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Sadaf Zahoor has bucked California’s car culture by never owning one, yet she and other residents who rely on public transit worry its bleak financial outlook could soon leave them standing at empty train stations and bus stops. The agencies running the public transit systems, particularly in San Francisco and Oakland, […]

23 hours ago

FILE - African Methodist Episcopal Church Bishop Reginald Jackson announces a boycott of Coca-Cola ...

Associated Press

Supreme Court voting rights ruling stuns minority voters, who hope it expands their representation

WASHINGTON (AP) — This week’s Supreme Court decision ordering Alabama to redraw its congressional districts was seen by many minority lawmakers and voting rights activists as a stunning victory with the potential to become a major stepping stone for undoing political maps that dilute the strength of communities of color. Hank Sanders, a former Alabama […]

23 hours ago

Associated Press

Delayed justice: 3 states remove all time limits on child sex abuse lawsuits

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Ann Allen loved going to church and the after-school social group led by a dynamic priest back in the 1960s. The giggling fun with friends always ended with a game of hide and seek. Each week, the Rev. Lawrence Sabatino chose one girl to hide with him. Allen said when it […]

23 hours ago

FILE - Bryan Kohberger enters the courtroom for his arraignment hearing in Latah County District Co...

Associated Press

Judge weighs challenge to gag order in University of Idaho killings

A judge overseeing the case against Bryan Kohberger, charged with killing four University of Idaho students last fall, is set to hear arguments Friday over a gag order that largely bars attorneys and other parties in the case from speaking with news reporters. A coalition of more than 30 media organizations has challenged the order, […]

23 hours ago

FILE - House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of Calif., speaks at a news conference after the House passed t...

Associated Press

Speaker McCarthy eyes new commission to tackle nation’s debt, but many Democrats are wary

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is studying the history books and considering the appointment of a mix of lawmakers and business leaders as he lays the groundwork for a new commission to tackle the nation’s growing debt. McCarthy is fresh off his biggest political victory since becoming speaker in January. He got the […]

23 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

DAY & NIGHT AIR CONDITIONING, HEATING AND PLUMBING

Here are the biggest tips to keep your AC bill low this summer

PHOENIX — In Arizona during the summer, having a working air conditioning unit is not just a pleasure, but a necessity. No one wants to walk from their sweltering car just to continue to be hot in their home. As the triple digits hit around the Valley and are here to stay, your AC bill […]

...

re:vitalize

Why drug-free weight loss still matters

Wanting to lose weight is a common goal for many people as they progress throughout life, but choosing between a holistic approach or to take medicine can be a tough decision.

(Desert Institute for Spine Care in Arizona Photo)...

Desert Institute for Spine Care in Arizona

5 common causes for chronic neck pain

Neck pain can debilitate one’s daily routine, yet 80% of people experience it in their lives and 20%-50% deal with it annually.

Court weighs release of records in Sanford child porn probe