Source: Office of United States Attorneys
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Daniel R. McCaffrey, 41, formerly of Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for the transportation of child pornography, possession of child pornography, and abusive sexual contact with a minor female who had not yet reached 12 years of age. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “There is no penalty severe enough for those who harm our children, and my office will continue to aggressively pursue maximum punishment for these types of crimes. This disgusting defendant not only victimized children online, he also sexually abused a child he had access to on Eglin Air Force Base. The substantial sentence that has been imposed reflects the severity of his crimes, but it cannot make up for the grave harm he has inflicted upon the most vulnerable members of our community. I am deeply appreciative of the incredible work of the agents and investigators with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations to bring this heinous criminal to justice.”
A jury found McCaffrey guilty of these charges after a federal trial. Trial records reveal the defendant maintained a child pornography collection on a hidden micro SD card in his residence, where he lived with his then wife and two minor daughters. McCaffrey’s wife was active duty United States Air Force at the time. Multiple witnesses testified about the victimization McCaffrey personally inflicted upon the minor female to whom he had access. The child pornography he possessed reflected his penchant for minor females under the age of 12 years old.
“The FBI is committed to protecting the most vulnerable individuals in our communities, and especially our kids,” said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley. “Those who abuse innocent children should know that the FBI and our partners will never stop working to identify you, and we will coordinate the full force of our resources to seek justice for your victims.”
McCaffrey’s sentence of imprisonment will be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release and a requirement to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Office of Special Investigations of the United States Air Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Jessica S. Etherton.
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 and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.