JACKSON, Miss. – A south Mississippi man was sentenced to 17.5 years in federal prison January 30 following his conviction for possessing and transporting child pornography. The sentencing follows a criminal investigation led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Jackson.

Daniel Haughton, 45, of Brandon, was sentenced on one count of possession and one count of transportation of child pornography before U.S. District Court Judge Tom Lee.

The HSI criminal investigation began after the Mississippi Attorney General’s office received information from the Western Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force that an adult male had been in contact with a juvenile victim in Missouri via various messaging and chat applications. According to court documents, subsequent criminal investigation revealed that adult male to be Haughton. The juvenile victim disclosed Haughton sent nude images of himself and other prepubescent females engaged in sexually explicit conduct to the victim. During a forensic exam of Haughton’s iPad, HSI agents discovered approximately 600 images and 100 videos of child pornography.

Following his prison release, Haughton must also serve lifetime supervision and must register as a sex offender.

“HSI special agents are committed to finding and putting away those who prey on the innocent,” said Jere T. Miles, Special Agent in Charge of HSI New Orleans. “We will do everything we can, working alongside our state law enforcement partners, to identify and stop these heinous crimes.”

This investigation was conducted under HSI’s Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 25,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child exploitation material, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2019, more than 3,500 child predators were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 1,000 victims identified or rescued.

For Internet safety information for educators, parents, and children alike, please visit https://www.ice.gov/topics/iGuardians to learn about HSI’s iGuardians program.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI’s Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page. HSI is a founding member of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.