Date: 03-13-2025

Case Style:

United States of America v. Daniel Valentin-Morales

Case Number: 21-CR-415

Judge: James K. Bredar

Court: The United States District Court for the District of Maryland (Baltimore County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: The United States Attorney’s Office in Baltimore

Defendant's Attorney:

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Description:

Baltimore, Maryland criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with Coercion and Enticement of a Minor Victim
Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal Prison for Coercion and Enticement of a Minor Victim

Daniel Valentin-Morales, 35, of Frederick, Maryland, indicted for coercion and enticement of a minor victim.

Valentin-Morales used the social media application Snapchat to induce a minor victim to send several videos of her performing sex acts. Valentin-Morales then distributed the videos and additional child sexual abuse material videos to others. The investigation revealed that Valentin-Morales was a substitute teacher in Frederick County, Maryland.

In August 2020, and again in March 2021, investigators executed search warrants on Snapchat for records and the contents of Valentin-Morales’ account. Investigators learned that Valentin-Morales’ Snapchat account contained more than 200 files of suspected child sexual abuse material.

Additionally, investigators uncovered hundreds of chat messages expressing a sexual interest in minors, including with his own students. Valentin-Morales further communicated with minors to entice them to perform sexual acts and/or send him sexually explicit material that he distributed to users.

During a subsequent search warrant executed at Valentin-Morales’ home, law enforcement located multiple electronic devices. During law enforcement’s review of a device, they found files containing child sexual abuse material, including images depicting a minor victim.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, 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 Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood 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 Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc. Learn more about Internet safety education by clicking on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and Frederick Police Department for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Aubin who prosecuted the case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

Outcome:

Defendant was found guilty and sentenced to 13 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

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