SIOUX FALLS S.D. (KELO) — A Box Elder man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for third-degree rape of an unconscious woman.
According to the Pennington County State’s Attorney, 40-year-old Travis Lone Hill will serve 15 years in the South Dakota State Penitentiary for third-degree rape. He also received credit for nearly one year of jail time already served for threatening a law enforcement officer.
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A Pennington County jury found Lone Hill guilty of both charges late last year. The charges stem from a June 2024 incident in which a bystander witnessed Lone Hill sexually assaulting an unconscious woman along the bike path in Rapid City. Concerned citizens quickly alerted a nearby police officer, who arrived on scene and stopped the assault in progress.
When the officer intervened, the victim was unconscious, with her pants and underwear removed. A preliminary breath test showed 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 shouted insults at the officer and threatened to have him killed.
Before imposing the sentence, Judge Linngren told Lone Hill it was deeply concerning that he failed to understand or acknowledge that consent ends when an individual is unconscious or otherwise unable to consent – regardless of any prior consent, the state’s attorney office said. She stated that this lack of understanding makes him a continued risk to the public.
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Third-degree rape is a Class 2 felony, punishable by up to 25 years in the state penitentiary and/or a $50,000 fine. Threatening a law enforcement officer is a Class 1 misdemeanor, carrying a penalty of up to one year in jail and/or a $2,000 fine.
