Del. man indicted for planning to meet minor for sex and child porn charges
A Delaware man was indicted today on charges related to his plan to meet a 14-year-old girl for sex and additional charges related to the production and distribution of child pornography as was announced by U.S. Attorney Charles M. Oberly III of the District of Delaware.
Daniel Arthur Hill, 28, of Dover, apparently was indicted in U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware on three counts of production of child pornography, one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, three counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
On Dec. 16, 2015, Hill was reportedly arrested on Delaware state charges for solicitation of a minor and other related offenses. Hill allegedly engaged online with an individual that he believed to be a 14-year-old girl, then planned to meet this minor to engage in sexual activity.
Officials say that according to the allegations contained in the indictment, Hill possessed multiple child pornography images, including images that Hill had distributed within an online chat group. Additionally, the indictment apparently alleges that Hill had produced images of child pornography and distributed these images over the internet to other individuals.
Officials remind the public that an indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
According to the report, the Delaware State Police and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case in cooperation with the Delaware Attorney General’s Office. This case is reportedly being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham L. Robinson of the District of Delaware and Trial Attorney Herbrina D. Sanders of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.
According to the release, this case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, 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 to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit the website, here.
