Former County GOP Chairman Faces Child Pornography Charges

Rocky Hayes, who previously served as chairman of the GOP in Jones County, South Dakota, has been charged with three counts of child pornography possession, The Argus Leader reported Thursday. The 47-year-old is facing accusations of have child sexual assault material in his Dropbox account, and he will have an initial court hearing on Feb. 9, according to court documents. Hayes was listed as the Jones County GOP chairman as recently as 2020 but his name has since been removed from the South Dakota Republican Party website. It’s unclear when he was removed as chairman. Hayes runs a graphic design and communications firm; a spokesperson for the South Dakota GOP told the Leader that the party’s relationship with both Hayes and his business were “terminated.”