CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 28-year-old Corpus Christi man has admitted to sending photos depicting the sexual exploitation of children, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Authorities had linked Daniel Ellsworth Janssen to an e-mail and IP address that was accessing child pornography. Law enforcement conducted a search, at which time they seized multiple electronic devices from Janssen’s Corpus Christi residence. A forensic examination later revealed images and videos of child pornography, some of which he had distributed using his cell phone. The majority of the images and videos located on Janssen’s devices depicted the sexual exploitation of children under the age of 10.
At the time of his arrest, Janssen was a registered sex offender following his conviction for attempted indecency with a child.
Sentencing has been set before U.S. District Judge David S. Morales Jan 25, 2021. At that time, Janssen faces a mandatory minimum of 15 and up to 40 years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
The Corpus Christi Police Department Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Popejoy is prosecuting the case which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.