David Schoolcraft, Child Exploitation, Texas 2022

SHERMAN, Texas - A former Denton police officer has been sentenced to federal prison for child exploitation violations in the Eastern District of Texas.

David Schoolcraft, 39, pleaded guilty on December 28, 2021, to possession of child pornography and was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant.

According to information presented in court, Schoolcraft came to the attention of law enforcement when it was discovered that he was distributing child pornography within a social media application between December 2020 and January 2021.

An investigation revealed that he was engaged in this activity while at the Denton Police Department, where he served as a police officer, as well as at his home in Argyle.

Schoolcraft admitted to using a social media application and his cellular phone to trade child pornography. He also admitted to possessing images and videos of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including children who were bound and sexually abused by adults.

Schoolcraft was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 10, 2021.

“Children are the most precious and vulnerable members of our society, and justice and basic human decency demands that we do everything in our power to protect them from harm,” said U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston.

“The details of this case are upsetting not only because it involves the distribution of material exploiting children, but also because the perpetrator was a police officer who was expected to serve and protect his community,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Matthew DeSarno.

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.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Plano Police Department and Denton Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa Miller.

David Schoolcraft, 39, of Argyle, Texas, was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography.

Schoolcraft was a police officer at the Denton Police Department when he distributed child pornography on a social media application.

He was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 10, 2021.

Schoolcraft pleaded guilty to the charge on December 28, 2021.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edtx/pr/former-denton-police-officer-sentenced-child-exploitation-violations