A federal jury in Columbia has found Daniel Paul Shealy, 36, of Rock Hill, guilty on 18 counts of possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material. The verdict was reached after three days of testimony and approximately 90 minutes of jury deliberation.
Evidence presented during the trial revealed that in 2023, investigators with the York County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding three videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. These videos were flagged on the social messaging app Kik under the username “orgasmd0nor.” Subsequent investigation by the YCSO and the FBI traced the account and IP address to Shealy, who was employed as a detective and former school resource officer with the Rock Hill Police Department.
Further investigation uncovered Shealy’s membership in over 40 private groups on Kik, specifically created for users to exchange child sexual abuse material. These groups included titles referencing minors, teens, and incest. Testimony from a Kik representative indicated that users within such groups frequently shared images and videos depicting rape, sexual assault, bestiality, and other forms of child abuse. Investigators testified that after receiving the initial tip, they executed a search warrant on Shealy’s phone and his Kik account. Shealy’s phone was located in his patrol car and was accessible through his thumbprint and a passcode, which was his badge number.
Agents recovered 126 explicit videos of children from Shealy’s phone and Kik account, which he had either received or distributed to others online. These files included recordings of prepubescent minors in bondage and restraints. Child sexual abuse material constituted the majority of explicit content recovered from his Kik account.
During his testimony, Shealy admitted to operating the “orgasmd0nor” account and accessing child sexual abuse material on the platform. He also stated that he never reported any of the videos to Kik or law enforcement due to either a lack of knowledge on how to report or concerns about his personal privacy. Shealy was taken into custody immediately following the conclusion of the trial.
The FBI and the York County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation, with assistance from the South Carolina ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) Task Force at the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Elle E. Klein are prosecuting the case.
Shealy faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for each count. He also faces potential fines up to $250,000, restitution, lifetime supervision following his prison term, and sex offender registry requirements. United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson Jr., who presided over the trial, will determine Shealy’s sentence after reviewing a pre-sentencing report.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.
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