Hogsett Announces Sentencing of Evansville Man for Possession of Sexually Explicit Material Involving Minors
Latest Successful Prosecution by United States Attorney’s Project Safe Childhood

EVANSVILLE, IN—Joseph H. Hogsett, United States Attorney, announced today that Daniel Vowels, 64, of Evansville, was sentenced to 46 months in prison by U.S. District Chief Judge Richard L. Young following his guilty plea to possession of sexually explicit materials involving minors. This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Evansville Police Department.

“Working with federal and local partners, our nationally recognized child exploitation team is dedicated to helping protect Hoosier children from danger,” Hogsett said. “As this defendant now knows, there is no gray area when it comes to protecting our most vulnerable. If you engage in such abhorrent behavior, we will find you, and you will be brought to justice.”

Vowels pleaded guilty to the offense on November 30, 2011. At the time of his guilty plea, Vowels admitted that he possessed nine sexually explicit videos and images involving minors. Vowels admitted that he collected the videos and images using file sharing software and an Internet connected computer he operated from his residence located in Evansville.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted the case for the government, Judge Young also imposed supervised release for life following Vowels’ release from prison. During the period of supervised release, Vowels must register as a sex offender and submit to searches of any computer device he uses. Vowels was also ordered to forfeit the computer equipment he used in the offense to the United States.

This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Childhood. The Department of Justice launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, Project Safe Childhood uses federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please see www.projectsafechildhood.gov.