Winner woman reaches plea deal in sex trafficking case

WINNER, S.D. - A Winner woman accused of sex trafficking has reached a plea agreement with prosecutors. In newly filed court documents, Ivy Heron admits to arranging minors to have sex with Richard Alan Kucera, also of Winner, in 2020 and 2021.

“I took some minors to Kucera’s residence and told them that he liked oral sex and to let him perform oral sex upon them. In one transaction, Kucera gave me $200 for sex with a minor, and I gave that minor $50 after the sexual transaction was complete,” the factual basis statement reads.

The statement also details another incident where Heron offered drugs to a victim in exchange for the money received to have sex with Kucera.

“The child engaged in commercial sex acts with Kucera and received about $300. Later, the child returned to my house and did not want to turn over the $300 to me, so I gave methamphetamine to the child in exchange for the money,” the statement reads.

Heron also admits that she told the teen and other minors that Kucera would pay for sexually explicit photos and videos of them.

According to the plea agreement, Heron will plead guilty to Conspiracy to Engage in Sex Trafficking of a Child. The charge carries a maximum sentence of up to life in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both, and a period of supervised release. Heron would also be required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.