Springfield Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Child Sexual Exploitation

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for enticing a person whom he believed to be a minor (but who was actually an undercover law enforcement officer) to engage in illicit sex.

Daniel Rowland, 55, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Rowland to 15 years of supervised release following incarceration.

Rowland, who pleaded guilty on May 21, 2018, admitted that he posted a Craigslist advertisement seeking a “younger babygirl.” A detective with the Greene County Sheriff’s Department, operating in an undercover capacity, sent an email to Rowland. The detective portrayed a 14-year-old female. During the course of multiple email exchanges, Rowland made clear that he wanted to establish a “boyfriend/girlfriend” relationship, which would have to remain secret. 

As the email exchanges continued, Rowland’s messages became more sexual in nature. Rowland sent sexually explicit videos along with messages explaining that he wanted to engage in those sexual acts with her. They arranged a meeting, and when Rowland arrived at the location, he was arrested.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.

Project Safe Childhood
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 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."