Skip to main content
Press Release

Man Arraigned on Charges of Commercial Sex with a Minor

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Virginia

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Culpeper man entered a plea of not guilty today to criminal charges that he had sex with a minor on multiple occasions.

According to the allegations in the indictment, Fielding Smith Daniel, 53, met a young girl on a sugar daddy website in August 2016. Such websites are set up to facilitate interactions between wealthy older men and younger women who provide companionship in exchange for financial support. Daniel allegedly arranged to meet the girl for sex for money. The girl, who was 14 years old, was staying with her grandmother in Stafford. Shortly after midnight on Aug. 11, 2016, Daniel picked her up from her grandmother’s house and brought her to a motel, where they engaged in sex. Although they had negotiated a rate of $200, Daniel provided the girl with $100 after she wanted to leave early. A few weeks later, on Aug. 23, 2016, Daniel again arranged to have sex with the girl for money. On this occasion, the girl was with her 14-year-old friend. Daniel attempted to persuade the girl to have her friend watch them have sex, offering to pay her $300 if the friend watched. Daniel picked up the girl and her friend and brought them to a local hotel. The friend declined multiple offers to watch but the girl again had sex with Daniel for $140, while the friend stayed in the car. Afterwards Daniel dropped both girls off at a local Wal-Mart.

Daniel is charged with two counts of commercial sex with a minor and one count of coercion and enticement of a minor. Trial is scheduled for August 14, and Daniel will remain in custody pending the outcome. Daniel faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a statutory maximum of life in prison, if convicted on any count. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case is 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 and click on the tab “resources” for more information about Internet safety education.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Adam Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after arraignment by U.S. District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jay V. Prabhu and Whitney Dougherty Russell are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:17-cr-110 and 1:17-mj-145.

Contact

Joshua Stueve
Director of Communications
joshua.stueve@usdoj.gov

Updated June 7, 2017

Topic
Project Safe Childhood