Daniel Jason Wnek, Coercion and/or Enticement of a Minor, Ohio 2023

State: Ohio
Category: Sex Crimes
Source: <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndoh/pr/canadian-man-sentenced-11-years-prison-sending-scores-messages-over-social-media" style="color:#cc0000;" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">DOJ Press Release ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Â Ã¢â‚¬â€

A shocking case of online predation has come to an end with a Canadian man being sentenced to 11 years in federal prison for coercing an 11-year-old girl from Ohio to engage in sexual activity.

Daniel Jason Wnek, 28, of Toronto, pleaded guilty to one count of coercion and/or enticement of a minor in a federal court.

According to court documents, Wnek contacted the victim, identified as H.M., via Instagram in 2017. He posed as a 14-year-old boy using a photograph of a younger male. Wnek eventually switched their communication to Snapchat, where he sent messages to H.M. that were sexual in nature.

Wnek’s messages included requests for H.M. to lie on top of him when they met and to send him sexually explicit photos of herself. He even sent H.M. a sexually explicit photo via Snapchat and suggested picking her up and engaging in sexual activity.

H.M.’s family contacted police, and on November 3, 2017, another person posing as H.M. engaged in a Snapchat conversation with Wnek. He continued to solicit H.M. for sex and sent her sexually explicit images.

Wnek was arrested on November 13, 2017, after traveling to Orlando, Florida, where he planned to meet H.M. for sex. He was arrested at the airport after arriving from Toronto.

U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said, ‘This case demonstrates how predators will target our children over social media by posing as people different from who they truly are. Parents and trusted adults need to make it their business to know who their kids are communicating with.’

FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric B. Smith added, ‘Daniel Jason Wnek traveled thousands of miles in order to meet up with a child for sex after luring the child online. We must protect our children from online predators. The FBI will continue to pursue these vicious criminals and is pleased that Mr. Wnek will not be able to threaten children’s innocence or lives any longer.’

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