Former Middle School Teacher Pleads Guilty To Federal Child Pornography Charge

Defendant Was a Choir Teacher at Cross Timbers Middle School in Grapevine, Texas

DALLAS — Daniel Oberlender, 45, a former choir teacher at Cross Timbers Middle School in Grapevine, Texas, pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday to a criminal Information charging one count of distribution of child pornography. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of not less than five years, or more than 20 years, in federal prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is set for June 20, 2013, before U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor. Today’s announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.

Oberlender has been in federal custody since December 20, 2012, when he was arrested on a federal criminal complaint that was filed after law enforcement executed a search warrant at his residence in Grapevine on December 18, 2012. According to documents filed in the case, Oberlender used his Apple Macbook computer to connect to the Internet and use Skype software to share a video file depicting a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Specifically, according to the factual resume filed in the case, on August 5, 2012, Oberlender used Skype to communicate with a person known as “DJH.” During that communication, Oberlender permitted DJH to remotely view the entire contents of his computer screen. Oberlender then began playing a video file, viewable by DJH, that depicted an adult male and a minor male engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The minor male, whose eyes are shut during the entire video, appears to be approximately five or six-years-old. DJH, who was located in Dallas, used Evaer software to capture and record the contents of Oberlender’s computer screen, to include the transmission of the video.

This case was brought as 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/ For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/ and click on the tab "resources."

The investigation is being conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aisha Saleem is in charge of the prosecution.