Danny Ray Murphy Indicted

A disturbing case of online child exploitation has come to light in Florida, with a Pace firefighter facing serious charges. Danny Ray Murphy, 37, of Milton, made a first appearance today in the U.S. District Court in Pensacola after a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging him with conspiracy, receipt, and possession of child pornography.

The indictment alleges that, between November 2016 and January 2017, Murphy knowingly conspired with others to participate in Kik instant messaging communications that distributed child pornography images and videos. The indictment further alleges that he received and possessed child pornography involving a minor under age 12.

Murphy is currently being detained at the Santa Rosa County Jail. The detention hearing and arraignment have been scheduled for March 15, 2017, at 12:30 p.m. The case is being investigated by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Pensacola Police Department, the State Attorney’s Office for the 1st Judicial Circuit, and the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg. According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, an indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

For more information, contact Amy Alexander, Public Information Officer, at (850) 216-3854 or amy.alexander@usdoj.gov. The investigation and prosecution of this case demonstrate the commitment of law enforcement agencies to protecting children from exploitation and holding perpetrators accountable for their crimes.