Local man pleads guilty to distributing child porn
TEXARKANA, Texas — A Texarkana man pleaded guilty Thursday to distributing child pornography and authorities believe he intended to sexually abuse a young girl living in his home before he was caught.
Troy Dewayne “T.J.” Daniels Jr., 32, appeared with Texarkana lawyer Jeff Harrelson for a plea hearing
Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Caroline Craven in Texarkana’s downtown federal building. Daniels was arrested last year after sharing child porn with an undercover investigator he believed was a pedophile.
Daniels has been in jail since Nov. 25, the same day federal agents and local police executed a search of his home on Trinity Street in Texarkana, Texas. Craven denied bond in the case in December following a detention hearing at which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Hornok argued Daniels presents a risk to
the community.
Daniels came to the attention of law enforcement in October after he began chatting online with an undercover officer in California using the application Whisper. According to a criminal complaint, Daniels spoke of wanting to engage in sexual activity with his wife’s 6-year-old daughter and sent the agent child pornography using the Wickr application.
Daniels told the undercover officer that he wanted to “go all the way” with the child and asked the officer if he could “play” online with the agent’s fictional teen daughter.
The 6-year-old told her grandmother that Daniels has “kissed her like in the movies.”
More than 600 images of children being sexually exploited were discovered on electronic media in Daniels’ possession.
A federal grand jury issued a two-count indictment in December charging Daniels with possession and distribution of child pornography in the Texarkana Division of the Eastern District of Texas. The possession charge is expected to be dismissed at sentencing as part of his plea agreement. Daniels will return to court for formal sentencing before U.S. District Judge Robert Schroeder III once the court has received a presentence report including a recommendation for sentencing based on federal guidelines.
Daniels’ sentence is expected to include federal prison time of five to 20 years and a lifetime of supervision by federal authorities upon release. Daniels will be required to register as a sex offender.