Kanawha County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation Crime

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Isaiah Harley Daniels, 24, of Sissonville, was ordered today to serve 10 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, and pay $6,000 in restitution for attempted enticement of a minor. Daniels must also register as a sex offender.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2021 Daniels began communicating online with a 13-year-old girl using the Kik instant messaging app. Daniels admitted to sending the minor female pornographic images while explaining sexual intercourse to her and asking her to “get naked.” Daniels further admitted to initiating several video calls with the minor female in an attempt to watch her masturbate. He took screenshots of some of his conversations with the minor female that he saved on his cell phone.

Daniels also admitted to engaging in online conversation that were sexual in nature with other individuals he believed to be children. Daniels pretended to be 17 years old at times so he would appear younger. Several of the individuals that Daniels believed were children sent him images of themselves naked and masturbating.

Daniels admitted that he knowingly possessed 22 images and 297 videos on his cell phone and in his Kik account depicting known minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the West Virginia State Police.

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence today, confirming the prison and supervised release terms he imposed at an October 16, 2023 hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Julie M. White and Erik S. Goes prosecuted the case.

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of 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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-23.

###