South Dakota man pleads not guilty to Cerro Gordo County sexual abuse charge

ROCKWELL — A South Dakota man charged with sexual abuse in Cerro Gordo County after being accused of driving over 300 miles to meet a minor for sex has pleaded not guilty.

A criminal complaint states that 22-year-old Cheylub Hall of Scotland South Dakota drove from South Dakota on October 15th to meet with a juvenile victim aged 14 or 15 in Rockwell.

The complaint says a convenience store video shows Hall meeting with the victim, with the victim getting into his car, where they drove to Linn Grove Park, with Hall and the victim having sex inside the vehicle. Hall then drove the victim out of town and dropped them off on a gravel road and fled the area. The victim and Hall had corresponded on social media for two weeks prior to the incident.

Hall is charged with third-degree sexual abuse, a Class C felony.  He pleaded not guilty to the charge in Cerro Gordo County District Court on Tuesday, with his trial scheduled to start on May 2nd.