Stockton Man, 44, Accused Of Posing Online As Teen Girl, Sexually Assaulting Young Child
STOCKTON (CBS13) – A 44-year-old Stockton resident is being accused of posing as a teenage girl online and persuading at least one young child to commit sexual acts and film them, the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office announced on Thursday.
Daniel Bennett faces charges of distributing and possessing child pornography, sending harmful matter to children and three counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor under 14.
Bennett is accused of posing as a girl between 16-18 and directing the victim on multiple accounts to commit sexual acts and record them, authorities said.
Authorities said they received a tip in June from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding a video containing child sexual assault material being circulated online featuring the young victim.
The sheriff's office said a detective assigned to the Sacramento Hitech Crimes and Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force was alerted in April 2020 to an incident involving the out-of-state victim, 13.
After receiving the tip in June, authorities served a search warrant being executed at the 100 block of South Tulsa Avenue, in Stockton, where Bennett was located and arrested. Several images and videos containing child sexual assault material were found at the residence, deputies said.
Investigators said there may be more potential victims in the case. Anyone with further information on Bennett or the case is encouraged to contact the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office.