August 14, 2008

N. Texas man sentenced to more than 8 years in federal prison for downloading child porn from the Internet
Defendant had more than 500 images of child pornography

DALLAS - A Euless, Texas, resident was sentenced here Thursday to more than eight years in federal prison for receiving child pornography. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper, Northern District of Texas; the case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Daniel P. Daly, 51, pleaded guilty in April to one count of receiving child pornography and has been in custody since his arrest in October. U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor sentenced Daly to serve 97 months in prison, and ordered him to register as a sex offender and serve a lifetime of supervised release.

Daly admitted that between July 20, 2005 and Sept. 10, 2005 he used the Internet to download picture files of minor children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. In April 2006, the ICE Cyber Crimes Center (ICE C3) began an investigation into a criminal organization that operated numerous commercial child pornography websites. The investigation revealed that the criminal organization offered subscribers a chance to purchase Internet memberships to access to child pornography. ICE special agents identified Daniel P. Daly as an individual who had purchased access to child pornography via the commercial website.

On July 25, 2007, ICE agents, along with officers form the Euless, Texas, Police Department, executed a federal search warrant at Daly's residence. ICE conducted a forensic exam of Daly's computer and storage media and discovered more than 500 images and more than 10 video clips of child pornography.

"The sexually exploited victims of child pornography are devastated from these horrific experiences throughout their lives," said John Chakwin, special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in Dallas. "Anyone who uses, shares or possesses child pornography acts as a willing accomplice in the sexual assault of innocent children." Chakwin oversees 128 counties in north Texas and the State of Oklahoma.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC). In February 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

U.S. Attorney Roper commended the investigative efforts of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Euless, Texas, Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex C. Lewis, Northern District of Texas, prosecuted the case.

This investigation was also part of Operation Predator, a nationwide ICE initiative to protect children from sexual predators, including those who travel overseas for sex with minors, Internet child pornographers, criminal alien sex offenders, and child sex traffickers. Since Operation Predator was launched in July 2003, ICE agents have arrested more than 11,000 individuals, including more than 1,080 in Texas.

ICE encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE. This hotline is staffed around the clock by investigators.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, at 1-800-843-5678 or www.cybertipline.com.

-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.

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