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Press Release

Houston Man Gets 25 Years For Producing Child Pornography

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Texas

HOUSTON – Daniel M. Layne, 34, of Houston, has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of production of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Layne pleaded guilty Friday, Feb. 14, 2014.

Today, U.S. District Judge David Hittner handed Layne a total sentence of 300 months in prison. At the hearing, additional information was presented including evidence that Layne had been communicating over the Internet with other underage girls and discussing engaging in sexual activity with them. Judge Hittner further ordered Layne to be placed on supervised release for life following completion of his prison term, during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the Internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.

The investigation began in Maine when the mother of a 14-year-old girl discovered a motel key card in her daughter’s pants pocket and sexually graphic text messages on her cell phone. She contacted local authorities who then determined that Layne had traveled to Maine after meeting the girl over the Internet. The investigation revealed Layne had taken sexually explicit photos of the young girl.

As a result of the information gathered in Maine, authorities in the Houston area conducted a search at Layne’s residence on Sept. 24, 2013, at which time they seized computers, a tablet and cell phones from the house. A forensic analysis revealed images of the 14-year-old on the tablet and a cell phone.

Layne was arrested on the federal charges in October 2013 and has been in custody since that time where he will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Homeland Security Investigations and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case in conjunction with the Houston Metro Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Westbrook, Maine, Police Department. 

This case, prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert Stabe, 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 the United States Attorneys' 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, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

Updated April 30, 2015