A Vermont man has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for producing child sexual assault material involving a minor from South Texas. The sentencing follows Daniel Lee Hicks’s guilty plea on two counts of production of child pornography and one count of coercion and enticement of a minor.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. handed down the 300-month sentence, also imposing 10 years of supervised release after Hicks’s prison term ends. During this period, Hicks will face restrictions on his access to children and the internet and must register as a sex offender. Restitution will be determined at a later date.
“The internet is a valuable tool, but unfortunately, for predators like Hicks, it can become a weapon used to target some of our most vulnerable,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “To anyone who tries to use social media or other avenues to prey on our kids, it matters not where you are. We will hunt you down, arrest you, and imprison you…often for decades. To parents, stay vigilant and be aware of those that could be infiltrating your children’s devices.”
Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz of Homeland Security Investigations Houston added: “As a parent, cases like this hit close to home knowing that dangerous predators like this are just a mouse click or phone swipe away from our children on social media. Fortunately, working with our partners at the Montgomery County Constables Office, we were able to identify this child predator and remove him from the community for the next 25 years, but it’s never a bad time for parents to talk to their kids and educate them about the dangers on social media. Department of Homeland Security offers plenty of useful tools and resources that can be found at https://www.dhs.gov/know2protect.”
Authorities discovered explicit online conversations between Hicks and an underage girl living in Texas in November 2022. The investigation revealed that Hicks had communicated with her since at least 2021, was aware she was under 14 years old, and coerced her into creating sexually explicit images and videos by sending threatening messages.
Further investigation identified at least two more victims under age 16 across the United States whom Hicks targeted through online platforms with the intent to create additional illegal material.
The case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations as part of its Child Exploitation Investigations Group with support from Montgomery County Constable’s Office – Precinct 5.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Luis Batarse prosecuted the case under Project Safe Childhood (PSC), an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at fighting child sexual exploitation by coordinating federal, state, and local efforts nationwide. More information about PSC can be found on DOJ’s PSC page, which also includes resources for internet safety education.
