RAPID CITY, S.D. – A Box Elder man has been sentenced to 15 years in the South Dakota State Penitentiary for third-degree rape and for threatening a law enforcement officer in connection with a June 2024 incident in Rapid City. He was booked into the Pennington County Jail on June 30th, 2024.
Seventh Circuit Court Judge Heidi Linngren today sentenced 40-year-old Travis Lone Hill. He will receive credit for nearly one year of jail time already served for the threat charge.
A Pennington County jury found Lone Hill guilty of both charges late last year. The charges stemmed from a June 2024 incident where a bystander witnessed Lone Hill sexually assaulting an unconscious woman along a Rapid City bike path. Concerned citizens alerted a nearby police officer, who intervened and stopped the assault.
Upon the officer’s arrival, the victim was unconscious, and her clothing had been removed. A preliminary breath test indicated her blood alcohol level was more than three times the legal limit. Lone Hill was taken into custody at the scene. During his arrest, he reportedly shouted insults and threatened to have the officer killed.
Before delivering the sentence, Judge Linngren noted Lone Hill’s concerning failure to understand that consent is not given when an individual is unconscious or otherwise unable to consent, regardless of any prior consent. She stated that this lack of understanding posed a continued risk to the public in the Black Hills area.
Third-degree rape is classified as a Class 2 felony in South Dakota, carrying a potential penalty of up to 25 years in the state penitentiary and/or a $50,000 fine. Threatening a law enforcement officer is a Class 1 misdemeanor, with a penalty of up to one year in jail and/or a $2,000 fine.
